


Earth and Sky

by JhinoftheOpera



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2020-03-17 19:54:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 91,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18971938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JhinoftheOpera/pseuds/JhinoftheOpera
Summary: They say success is like an iceberg and it's tough at the top, but Sinnoh Champion Cynthia knows full well that there's more to the fame and success that comes with such a title. Humbled and saved by a certain person that drove her to become who she is now many years ago, an opportunistic revisit to the Pokemon World Tournament may come to reunite her with that very person himself, and maybe provide more in store for the two of them than a mere promised rivalry.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Sinnohan exchange Trainer ventures into the forest alone in search for greatness, only to discover and experience far more than she could have ever imagined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S: I'll be using this note section to update you all on my condition whenever updates run slow. 
> 
> I know it's been almost two months since I last posted, but rest assured; I'm not abandoning the fic. I'm in the midst of having it cleaned up and adding a few new elements such as the generation protagonists (such as Gold and Lyra). Since I'm already done with the uni semester for the most part, expect a new chapter by Wednesday, though the edits will come later. I hope you all haven't given up on me yet, and I look forward to getting into the next arc of the story!

                                                     

**Prologue**

The girl felt the water on her blonde hair, the saline scent of sweat blending in with the slightly mulchy odor of the forest’s perfume. The Gible beside her also panted with every breath as it steeled itself to keep up with its Trainer; the two were slowly growing tired from their tireless running.  Even with the seemingly endless maze of green ceiling providing ample shelter from the afternoon sunlight, the foreign heat of Viridian Forest was a stark contrast to the chilly air that surrounded Eterna Forest back at their hometown in Sinnoh. 

Their journey had been long; she remembered starting near signboards that warned passersby of dangerous territory, particularly of Beedrill in the south, another feature distinct from her local woodland. Nevertheless, she had ignored the written warnings and ran headfirst with her Pokemon into the forest. She had seen something very peculiar, something she was confident that she couldn’t possibly have mistaken, and she was here to find it.

The size of the mountain told her that it was quite a distance away, and she had to go through the patch of forestry to reach it. Even without knowing how large the woods were, she was confident that she and her Pokemon would be able to traverse it. The harmless-looking bug Pokemon hanging from the branches of the trees she had seen throughout her journey—predominantly Caterpie and Metapod—only served to further convince her that it was going to be an easy task.

After several minutes of non-stop running, she slowed her pace to regain her breath, wiping away her sweat with her handkerchief. As her fingers reached her left temple, she came to a somewhat disheartening truth: she had dropped one of her hair pins along the way. The black ornaments were very valuable to her as they had been a gift from her parents on one of the earliest birthdays she could remember; the confidence she held throughout her running suddenly turned to dread, for she knew that they would be upset to know that she had lost one of them like that. Part of her itched to scour the spacious stretch of green to find it, but she decided that her priority was still finding that Pokemon—she’d come too far to give up now. 

Steeling herself to focus on the task she had ventured out for, the Trainer and her Pokemon suddenly stumbled upon a flock of about nine Pidgey searching for food. Their presence implied that they were now in a deeper portion of the forest, and the girl wondered if the journey would’ve been livelier if these bird Pokemon had appeared alongside the abundance of Bug-type Pokemon in the earlier segment of the greenery—whether they would provide a similar, if not better challenge than most of her previous experiences. The bird Pokemon turned their attention to the girl and the even more unfamiliar Pokemon by her side simultaneously, halting their pecking and chirping momentarily—despite their small, unassuming size, they appeared vigilant, perhaps waiting for the Trainer and her Pokemon to make a move. 

The Pokemon were now lining the narrow pathway that would carry the girl further ahead. They didn’t seem inclined to move any time soon, and she wasn’t intent on waiting for them to pass by themselves before she could proceed deeper into the forest.

“Gible, use Dragon Rage!”

The Land Shark Pokemon opened its mouth and let loose a small ball of purplish draconic energy at the opposing flock. Although the sudden action of hostility startled the Pidgey slightly, they were ready for the attack and they evaded the line of fire by scattering to the side. Surprised, the Gible hastily attempted another Dragon Rage, but the agile flock of Pidgey dodged again. Unable to keep its footing as a result of the weight of its repetitive attacks and the previous exhaustion of running, the Pokemon with a jaw that made up almost its entire body tumbled onto the ground.

The bird Pokemon flapped their wings, creating powerful gusts of wind that struck both the Gible and its Trainer. The attack sent the two flying towards a thick tree nearby, and the impact caused the girl to spin to the side and knock her knee on the tree’s thick bark, while her Pokemon was struck on the back, knocking it out momentarily. As she squealed in pain, the flock of Pidgey stretched their wings once more, preparing another attack on the already wounded girl. Faced with such an unforeseen predicament, fear began to well up within her—fear that she hadn’t felt for a very long time.

As she forced her eyes shut and prepared herself for the inevitable attack, a flurry of purple spikes emerged from the east above her; the sudden attack startled the flock of bird Pokemon, chasing them away as they quickly retreated into the woods.

She turned toward the source of the attack, her heart thumped wilder as she considered that it may have been an even more powerful Pokemon that had chased the Pidgey off. She instead met her unlikely rescuer standing atop a sturdy branch of a tree, carefully holding the spiked head of a Weedle in his hand, his fingers carefully clasping the Bug Pokemon’s body so as to avoid the sharp stinger on its head. The Pokemon showed signs of struggling, but eventually calmed as the boy loosened his grip, placing it on the branch of a tree with a generous serving of leaves. The Bug Pokemon initially seemed displeased, but eventually settled on the newfound benefit of being able to reach higher ground for food.

The boy had yet to say anything as he leapt down from the tree and approached her. The girl could make out the way he dressed as being plain from her distance—a sleeveless black shirt and shorts, far different from the white, collared blouse and black skirt that made up her own, more expensive attire. The girl attempted to stand, but the stinging sensation from her injury restricted her; she wasn’t bleeding heavily, but the impact had sprained her knee, making it painful to move. The Pokemon beside her attempted a similarly brave façade, but it had been wounded far more severely than its Trainer.

“Don’t force yourself,” the boy finally said. His expression was inscrutable: his lips were a thin line of neutrality, and then there were his eyes—eyes that were scarlet, an incarnadine hue redder than even the freshest Tamato Berries of her coveted ice cream bar back home.

“I don’t need you to tell me that,” she shot back, trying to regain her footing, but finding herself unable to fight against the pain that resonated within her knee.  

“Is that what you have to say to someone who just saved your life?” The boy said, though there seemed to be no evident irritation or anger in his tone.

“I had everything under control.” Deciding that she would attend to her Pokemon first if she could not help herself, she inched toward her wounded Gible who had risen from being knocked out. As it hobbled toward her, she withdrew a Potion from her bag and sprayed the medicine upon its wounds.

“Maybe.” He did not seem intent to argue otherwise despite having seen her predicament first-hand. “But you’re not okay _now."_

“I don’t understand.” To the girl, Gible was a powerful Dragon-type Pokemon that should have been more than capable of fending off the flock of Pidgey, but they had stood their ground and overwhelmed her Pokemon. Despite that, the bird Pokemon had also fled at first sight of a Weedle’s Poison Sting. “Why did those Pidgey flee from a wild Weedle but not my Gible?”

“Pidgey are generally timid and dislike fighting if they’re on their own. There were a lot of them, however, and that means they can fight back if you give them some degree of awareness, which was what happened to you earlier. You have to use a surprise attack in this case.”

“Did you have to climb up that tree for that, though?”

“Pidgey flee at the sight of Beedrill, which is the evolved form of Weedle,” the boy explained. “They’re not strong enough yet.”

“So you were _pretending_ to be one,” she deduced, as the young boy nodded in response. “Still, why did you have to use a wild Pokemon? Don’t you have your own?”

“Not yet,” he revealed. “I’m not old enough, though only by one year.”

The revelation seemed to be even more shameful for the girl than for the boy himself; apart from being disappointed in herself for her failure to handle a horde of seemingly frail Pokemon, she had been rescued by a boy not even old enough to own his own Pokemon yet, a boy that was, by his account, even younger and less experienced with owning a Pokemon than she was.

Back home, she thought of herself as someone she expected herself to be, someone who excelled in everything and was gifted with looks, privilege and talent, and would thus be able to handle all that came her way, just as she was confident that she would be able to look for the Pokemon she wanted on her own. Yet now here she was, humbled and saved by a mere boy who didn’t even have his own Pokemon. The very thought of it embarrassed her; it was then that her eyes began to dampen. She told herself she wouldn’t cry in front of this boy even as her tears threatened to betray her; she felt that she was above that, knowing that it was unlike her to succumb at the rare instances of failure, even if she felt that she was above it. 

She expected a reaction from the boy similar to the  flustered surprise that her family would give her in the rare instances she was upset; perhaps he would laugh at her, for even if the circumstances decided she was a foreigner in this land, she had failed to defeat a mere swarm of bird Pokemon while in possession of her own Pokemon whilst this boy had done so without one. She raised her head and her gray eyes, now glistening and failing to keep the light pool of tears from pouring out of their crevices, and instead saw an impassive, neutral face that gave nothing of his thoughts of her away.

“Why are you here?” He did not address how she was now struggling against her tears, neither criticizing her nor comforting her, instead cutting to the chase on why she had come to the forest. She found his reaction slightly unusual. Part of her felt relieved, if a little surprised, that he hadn’t ridiculed her given her already miserable state.

“I was looking for a bird Pokemon,” she confessed, trying to force her tears back into her eyes. “A rainbow-colored bird Pokemon.”

The slightest hint of the boy raising a brow didn’t go unnoticed by the girl; if that didn’t give his skepticism away, the look he had on his face now suggested that he assumed that she was mistaken. Perhaps it was merely the sight of a Pidgey or Spearow mixed in with a moment’s flash of sunlight that she saw; or perhaps there was an actual rainbow at present even if they couldn’t see it from their angle of the forest, now shining in the sky that was now equal parts azure and orange, hinting at the evening sunset that would eventually arrive.

“A rainbow-colored bird Pokemon? I don’t think I know of any Pokemon like that here.”

“You don’t believe me?” She finally managed to regain her footing, though her body slumped downward as her injured knee struggled to keep itself straight. She grabbed onto the trunk she’d been struck by for support, trying to push herself to keep moving despite her current state, even if only to walk back home when she finally reached her limits. She wouldn’t give up yet, though—not now.

“Fine. I’ll go look for it on my own.”

“You can’t walk, can you? And now you’re going to force your poor Pokemon to walk?”

Met with another exchange she couldn’t find herself properly refuting, Cynthia’s face went red with embarrassment, but there was a defiant look in her eyes. 

“I have to find it,” she insisted, taking an unsteady step forward. She found herself unable to move beyond her arm’s reach of the trunk; she would likely fall without its support. “It went toward that mountain. It might not be there if I don’t hurry—”

“You can’t look for it the way you are now, though. Maybe you should give up for today and try again tomorrow.”

“I can’t! I’ve come too far to turn back! I’m going to find it no matter what, even if I have to do it on my own!” She cried.

Seeing the resolve of its trainer, her Gible also growled defiantly, attempting to sit up, but staggered and stumbled as it did when it tried to chase off their attackers.

Yet again she found herself awaiting his response, this time without anticipation or expectation, his previous response something that she hadn’t really accounted for. The boy simply sighed and smiled as if he were a parent taking care of a stubborn child.

“Lead the way, then.”

She blinked, surprised. “You’re going to help me?”

“Do you want my help or not?” The boy knelt down facing away from her, gesturing for her to climb onto his back as he would carry her throughout the journey. She hesitated, but realized he was her only way out of this bind, more so if she wanted a chance of progressing instead of returning home. She saddled toward him and answered his question with her actions, placing her arms around his neck as he lifted her leg, taking care to not be rough given her injury.

“Is this alright for you?” Red asked.

“Mhm,” She nodded, her face taking on a gentle hint of pink. She had never been in such a situation before, where a boy was suddenly carrying her in her injured state on his back, the two heading toward a place in a foreign land they weren’t even sure existed, let alone where it was. 

“So where do we go?”

“I saw it headed toward that mountain outside the forest. I thought this would be the quickest way to get there, but…”

“It’s the only way you can get there, unless you can fly. I think I have a good idea about where you’re referring to, though.”

The two then moved slowly, followed by the girl’s Gible, the injured Pokemon finally managing to walk at their pace after recuperating via the girl’s Potion. A small silence settled between them, only interrupted by the sounds of the forest. This was the first time she had ever been in contact with a boy, especially under such circumstances. She felt lost in this new scenario, even with the certainty that the boy was helping her.

“What’s your name?” She attempted to break the awkward silence between them, still in slight disbelief of the scenario she was now in.

“Red. And you?”

“I’m Cynthia.”

“You must be new here,” he said, eyeing the Pokemon the girl had brought with her. “I haven’t seen you around. Nor that Pokemon, actually. I don’t know what its name is.”

“This is Gible,” She pointed at her Pokemon as she introduced it, and Gible cried as if to greet the boy in response. “And we’re from Sinnoh.”

“Ah,” he said, “you’re from the exchange program, aren’t you?”

“You know about the exchange program?” Cynthia exclaimed. While the boy had initially rubbed off on her as an unfounded know-it-all, it seemed that he was more knowledgeable than she had expected.

“Yeah. Professor Oak’s pretty much my neighbor. I get to know a lot of what he does. He was meeting a group of kids from abroad today. Were you with them?”

Cynthia nodded. Indeed, she had come for a week-long trip with her parents to Kanto, where she planned to learn knowledge and new steps to being a Pokemon Trainer under the tutelage of the world-renowned Professor Samuel Oak himself. It was her second-to-last day at the program and she was to leave tomorrow, and she had wanted to make her journey in Kanto a meaningful one. She had been in her group of other kids from Sinnoh and had been placed in Viridian City for some activities, but the sight of the rainbow Pokemon she had caught earlier had spurred her to wander too far.

“And you split up with them because you were looking for that bird Pokemon?”

“Mhm.”

“Why didn’t you bring anyone along with you?”

“I was the only one who saw it. Besides, I’m not like everyone else. I’m special. That’s why I have Gible with me.”

“Even if you are, it’s dangerous to come here without being familiar with this place.”

“What about you? You don’t even have a Pokemon. Isn’t it even dangerous for you?”

“I’ve been around these forests for a long time. I can take care of myself.”

The conversation about her participation in the exchange program suddenly stirred a possibility. A suspicion that the boy was deceiving her in some form, especially now that she knew that he was aware of the exchange program and her relation to it. Perhaps she couldn’t trust him even if he had saved her—and she then came to a rather fearful conclusion.

“Hey! You’re not taking me back there, are you?”

“Do you _want_ me to?” He repeated that question again.

“Eh..?”

“I could always just take you back, where it’s safe. You can’t leave your wound like that, and even after your medicine, your Gible’s not exactly in good shape.”

“No! Please….” She pleaded. It seemed that her concerns were in fact a possibility, and while she would be safe as he said, she really didn’t want to miss such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Her Gible also let out cries of disapproval in support of its trainer, wanting to follow Cynthia to the very end.

“ _Please._ I really can’t miss out on that Pokemon. If you leave me here or take me back, I…”

“I understand.” He nodded. Throughout their conversation, Red had never ceased his steps, moving towards a destination neither of them knew about, a destination that they knew nothing of what exactly awaited them there. “Just don’t push yourself, okay? Still, even if you find that Pokemon, what do you intend to do?”

“I want to be the strongest Trainer in the world,” she said, “And I’m going to catch that Pokemon to advance toward that goal.”

“The way I see it,” he began, “if strong Pokemon are all it takes to win, how was it that a wild Weedle was capable of fending off a flock of Pidgey while your Dragon-type couldn’t? Does that make your Pokemon weak? Are you seeking to replace it with the stronger Pokemon from before?”

Cynthia gasped at the comment, and she could sense the worried look on her Gible’s face, somehow thinking that she would relinquish it for a mere instance of incompetence despite all their history together. Her face went pink again, both in the shame of being unable to say anything, as well as how she’d taken her very own Pokemon for granted. 

“Besides, if you couldn’t handle yourself over a flock of Pidgey earlier, what makes you think you’ll be able to battle that rainbow Pokemon, or even catch it?”

In the face of yet another good point, all Cynthia could do was bite her lip and keep her mouth shut, her fingers digging deeper into her fists as she clung onto Red, perhaps her only way of showing the slightest retribution for her embarrassment. Strategy, knowledge, and tactics were all factors that came into play apart from brute strength, and he had done what she could not because he had those advantages. Yet again Cynthia found herself humbled by Red, someone who she now saw as wise beyond his years, even though he was one year her junior. 

Abruptly, Red giggled slightly at Cynthia’s expression. 

“You think I’m stupid, don’t you?” she huffed. She couldn’t argue knowing full well that he was right, but she was still irritated that he was starting to make fun of her.

“I think it’s cute,” he smiled, calming himself. “And it’s natural. Everyone wants to be the best.”

She felt her face flush to the color of his eyes at that statement, which elicited another chuckle from Red; it was the first time anyone apart from her family had ever called her that, and she felt embarrassed, especially given their circumstances. 

“Is that so…” Making sure that he was looking ahead, Cynthia couldn’t resist the slight smile that came onto her lips at the comment. She couldn’t deny that she enjoyed it. 

Before they knew it, the green that had constantly adorned their surroundings gradually faded into rough patches of rock; they appeared to have arrived at the foot of the mountain after a flight of uneven steps and climbable rocks littered the journey toward the top, hints of tree and brush visible all the while . Cynthia’s Gible gulped at the sight of these steps. Given its currently injured condition, it was unlikely to be able to follow them up; Cynthia merely smiled at her Pokemon, and understanding that it needed rest, she withdrew it back to her Pokeball.

“Hang on tight,” Red advised. It was going to be his first time climbing these steps while carrying someone on his back. “Oh! Right,” Before he began to climb, however, the boy seemed to suddenly remember something, withdrawing an item from his pocket—a black hairpin shaped like an Umbreon’s ears or tail.

“Is this yours?”

“My hair pin!” Her eyes widened in delight and surprise over the discovery, “Thank goodness...I thought I lost it. But how did you find it?”

“I found it on the ground around the north. I knew it surely wasn’t something that one would find in this forest, and I went off to look around to see if I could find who it belonged to. I’m glad I found you.” As Red said so, he began to climb upward, taking slow, steady steps, occasionally looking back to make sure the two of them were safe. 

Before the rightful words came out, her face flushed red yet again, knowing that the boy had aided her in more ways than she could have ever expected, and that she was about to do something that she hadn’t done in a very long time. She received her hair pin and placed it back on her right bang, before she eventually realized that she had been getting out of line and letting her pride decide her actions.

No matter how she looked at it, the boy had rescued her. The boy had found her hair pin. And the boy was only continuing to help her even now, helping her with a personal, adamant request she doubted anyone would believe her for, much less come to her aid.  

It wouldn’t be right, even for her, to not express her gratitude. 

“I want to…thank you for finding me,” she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. “And for returning this to me. I must be honest that I was starting to get a little lost…” It was the first time she would willingly admit to one of her shortcomings, and it was so surreal, so new. “I didn’t know if I should look for it or that Pokemon first…but now you’ve let me do both.”

“Thank you for thanking me. It’s not every day I get to meet a Trainer close to my age, especially one from a foreign region.”

“You know what? I think you’d make a really good Pokemon Trainer.” In another first, she knew the boy had wounded her pride, but for the better. With all her privileges and gifts, she always thought herself better than anyone, but there was more to excellence than just those qualities, and the boy had definitely enlightened her in that regard. There was no resentment or jealousy in her tone as she complimented him; reflecting on her own mistakes and how this boy had already aided her and taught her so much in the short span, she now held a genuine respect for him. 

“You think so?”

“You bet! You’ll become a Trainer next year, right?” Her enthusiasm suddenly shifted to doubt. Did he _want_ to be a Trainer, despite his talent? “You _do_ want to be a Trainer, don’t you?”

“I don’t know, actually.” He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “It seems fun, but that’s not all there is to it, you know?”

“It’d really be a waste if you didn’t,” she said. “I’d really want us to become Trainers and battle each other someday.”

Following that remark, and before they knew it, they finally reached as far as they could go on the hill after climbing for what seemed like minutes. The giant bed of rock led out into a cliff with a view that illustrated the greenery that they had traversed through in the late afternoon below,  with the sky losing its last traces of blue; it was an admittedly picturesque sight as Cynthia marveled at the unfamiliar view. 

“Wow…” Cynthia murmured. 

“Can I put you down now? I imagine you’d want to continue on your own two feet,” Red suddenly asked. “Or are you still unable to walk?”

“Oh! I…” She hesitated for a moment, the pain in her leg muscles still reverberating. She couldn’t deny that she did want to walk for this part of the journey, but she doubted that she would be able to walk on her own at this point,  given that she hadn’t received proper treatment for her injury yet. Gazing at the back of his head as she remained on his back, Cynthia decided that after all that had transpired thus far, there was nothing to be ashamed of to ask. 

“I think I’m feeling better now, but...can you support me?”

“Okay,” Squatting down, Red gently placed Cynthia upon the rocky terrain, taking care to not cause any unnecessary movement to her injured knee. He then turned around, extending a hand with a smile. The way the sunlight shone behind him made the gesture look unusually radiant to her, one that caused another unconscious speck of color to rise in her cheeks. She could not resist a smile as she willingly took his hand again. 

“That’s right,” Red said. Cynthia expected him to only guide her by hand, but Red instead tucked his neck underneath her arm and around his shoulders. The sudden closeness reddened her cheeks even more, but she found the experience far from unpleasant. “Nice and easy.”

With an inclination of Red’s chin, Cynthia started to take a step forward, finding the pain a lot easier to handle. Taking a second step and another, the two began to move forward slowly, giving Cynthia the sense of achievement she desired even if she was still being supported by Red. 

“Well, this is as far as I know where to take you. Let’s see if we can find anything.” Red said.

A familiar buzzing resounded behind them, as several Beedrill suddenly appeared. It was unlike Beedrill to actively venture beyond their nests, but the boy turned to look toward the sky and saw that the  sun was already setting; it signified a time where Beedrill would start looking for food. There appeared to be only three Beedrill rather than the amount he usually would expect in a swarm, so it seemed that the swarm had actually split up, but would quickly regroup if they weren’t careful.

The children with their backs against the cliff had just made themselves tempting targets—and there was no escape. 

But as long as they held still and made no sudden moves, they would—

“We have to attack!” Cynthia said frantically, as she sent out Gible from her Pokeball. The Pokemon did its best to prepare itself for the upcoming battle after noticing the opposing Pokemon. “Gible, get ready!”

“Wait, no! You shouldn’t—”

“Use Dragon Rage!”

The Pokemon knew it had one shot at an attack given its current state, and this time it did its best to try and fend off their attackers with a super-charged ball of energy. However, the swarm of Beedrill was faster than the Pidgey from earlier, and showed no sign of surprise at the attack, as if it were a harmless ball waiting to be received or dodged by a player. This time, a flurry of poison spikes shot themselves at the Gible, and even if they weren’t very effective against the Ground-type Pokemon, they overwhelmed the already weakened Pokemon in numbers, knocking it out for the count, as the two children’s only means of defense had fallen.

“Gible!” Cynthia attempted to rush ahead to collect her injured Pokemon who had lost consciousness following the attack, but she immediately fell down—her knee was still sprained. 

“Get away from here!” The boy cried, standing in front of her. “Save yourself!”

“But what about you?”

“Just go! I’ll hold them off—”

She froze in place, both her leg injury and the fear preventing her from taking another step.

Whether the Beedrill deduced that she was the Pokemon’s owner or the weaker prey of the two children, they turned their attentions to Cynthia first, lunging toward her with their sharp stingers tinged with the distinguishable purple poison from earlier.

As she screamed, she shut her eyes, but the impact did not come; she opened her eyes to see the boy’s clenched teeth and darkened expression, before she realized that he had taken the full brunt of the attack in her place. The horror welled up in her eyes as the sharp stingers of the Bug Pokemon pierced his back, before another swing of its stingers grazed his forehead and knocked him toward a nearby rock, rendering him bleeding all over and unconscious.

“No!” Cynthia helplessly inched toward the injured boy and shook him with all her might, her horror only growing by the second as the blood that matched his eyes flowed unceasingly from the wound on his forehead. “Wake up, Red! _Please_ , wake up!”

He could not save her from her predicament this time. Her back was against the wall, and her two other companions had fallen; she was wounded, afraid, and all alone.

She could only scream for help while bracing herself for the inevitable—

A stream of flame suddenly surged from beyond the cliff, knocking away the horde of Bee Pokemon, who quickly hustled back into the forest. As the girl lay feebly on the ground, she could barely open her eyes against her fatigue. The last thing she saw before succumbing to darkness was the trailing flames, leading towards what appeared to be a rainbow-colored wing. 

It was the Pokemon that the girl had been searching for earlier. True to what she last saw, the large avian Pokemon was donned in a plumage of vivid, prismatic wings, predominantly red with golden tail feathers. The Pokemon perched on top of the cliff, eyeing the two fallen children, knowing that they needed its help.

* * *

The Legendary Pokemon had made itself known to the girl because it had deemed her special; it had given her the slightest glimpse of its presence, wanting to see and test and see how far she would go to find it. The innocence of fleeting human curiosity, especially that of a child, had piqued its interest, but what had taken it even more was this boy... this boy who had come in search for it not for himself, but for the girl’s sake. And in spite of having no obligation towards her, the boy had even protected the girl from harm before it had rescued them.

This was a very rare moment that this Pokemon had witnessed: an act of selflessness, an act of sacrifice. Many had worshipped this Pokemon; many had searched for it, hungry for the blessings it was said to bestow, few succeeding if ever. And yet this boy, desperate to fulfill the wish of the innocent girl beside him, had awakened something in the Pokemon’s heart—such was the purity of a human heart, a heart of wisdom, a heart of strength, a heart of bravery. It imagined, with amusement, their surprised, jubilant faces should they ever see its majestic form up close, and the Pokemon came upon a decision: the first it would ever do to a human in the millennia it had observed and soared throughout the world.

It first turned to the fainted young girl with blond hair, deciding that she was worthy of a gift for her perseverance in finding it. It could tell that the very journey she had undertaken after it made itself known to her gave her many chances to grow and flourish, not only in experience, but also develop as a person. With a gentle flap of its right wing, it left behind a feather a length of the girl’s arm that shimmered brilliantly with the seven shades of the rainbow that adorned its colorful plumage.

It then attended to the boy—the one who had aided the other without regard for his own safety—and this time, it spread out its wings and a shimmering, glittery glow shone upon him, ash-like substances falling upon the boy’s wounded body like snow. The purple that stained the boy’s abdominal wound on his back gently disappeared as the blood on his forehead also stopped flowing, the skin slowly healing into place, leaving behind only a special scar, an idiosyncratic token indicative of the Pokemon’s blessings on the boy, blessings that would extend further ahead of the boy’s life as he would grow and develop.

Noises shuffled from the patch of forestry in the distance, as the Pokemon sensed the presence of both Pokemon and people coming its way. It was time for it to leave. An inspired glint flashed in the avian Pokemon’s eyes as it gave one last glance at the children, spreading its wings before it took flight once more from the cliff. It disappeared into the evening sunset, soaring the skies toward a destination even the Pokemon itself did not know, confident that—with its blessing—the two children may meet again in the distant future, with their own bright futures ahead of them. 

* * *

“Cynthia! Cynthia!”

She found herself lying upon a hospital bed, familiar voices the first that entered her ears, and familiar faces making the first befuddled view that entered her eyes. There was a middle-aged man in a lab coat, and two younger adults dressed in lab coats of a different design.

“Mommy…? Daddy?” She murmured absentmindedly, her eyes fluttering open as she tried to make sense of what was happening at that moment.

“You’re awake!” The female professor quickly took her daughter into her loving embrace, evidently worried about her injuries. “Oh, thank goodness, Cynthia. You don’t know what your father and I would do if anything would’ve happened—”

She then came to the conclusion that her parents were with her; they were both Professors of the Sinnoh Region, and beside them was the famous Professor Oak, and the host of the Kanto exchange program  that she had participated in.

“But…but how did you find me?” Slowly recalling the last events she remembered, she didn’t think she could make it safe and sound.

“We contacted the police. Some trainers in the Forest also noticed you running there, so it didn’t take long to find you on top of that cliff.” Professor Oak said. 

She let the realization settle in for a few moments before she whimpered in her mother’s arms. “I’m sorry,” Cynthia could no longer stop the well of tears that were leaking from her eyes, even as she realized that she was now safe from that horrible experience. “I’m sorry for going off on my own!”

“Well, you’d better be,” Another old, familiar voice called from afar as another familiar face joined the group of adults overseeing her. It was Cynthia’s grandmother, Professor Carolina, a prominent professor of the Sinnoh Region that started her family’s line of famous professors. 

“Grandma!” Cynthia cried, and the elderly woman held her granddaughter in a momentary embrace, relieved that she was alright. Professor Carolina then showed Cynthia an item that she held in her hands, something that had taken everyone among the professors by surprise. 

“Cynthia, how did you find this?” she asked, “This is a breathtaking discovery.”

“What?” Cynthia rubbed her eyes in disbelief, wanting to ensure that what she saw before her was real. It was a beautiful wing of prismatic rainbow colors, a token of the bird Pokemon that she wanted to pursue earlier. She received the wing from her grandmother, running her fingers through the sleek, soft surface of the multi-colored feather. She broke out into a beaming smile at the discovery, knowing that what she saw back then was _real._

“This wing…it’s from that Rainbow Pokemon I was looking for!”

“You mean you saw Ho-Oh?” Professor Oak asked, a mix of shock and excitement on his face.

“Ho-Oh?” She pronounced the unfamiliar name in puzzlement, “I don’t remember seeing it up close, but was that what that Pokemon was?”

“Yes,” Professor Carolina explained, “It was a legendary Pokemon, spoken of only in myth, one that to this day we’ve yet to properly discover beyond the Johto myths and stories, let alone confirm its existence. For you to have discovered our first concrete trace of it, though…”

“To think that your granddaughter could’ve acquired a feather of that legendary Pokemon,” Professor Oak said, looking very impressed. “She’s definitely as special as you say, Carolina, especially if that Pokemon deemed her worthy of it.”

“What’s more important is that she’s safe,” Professor Carolina refuted. “Still, I can’t say that I’m not proud of your achievement, Cynthia.”

“Wait,” Cynthia said, tightly clutching the feather in her hand, her excitement momentarily fading. “The truth is, I didn’t find it alone. Someone else helped me.”

“What do you mean, dear?”

“There was this boy,” She could feel the red well up on her face as she remembered him, much like his name. “His name was Red. He found me in the forest and saved me from… wait,” Her memory turned to horror as she remembered how she was assaulted by the swarm of Beedrill on that mountain, and how he had put his life on the line to protect her. The unthinkable crossed her mind as she remembered how injured he had been when she last saw him, how he had taken attacks and blows meant for her when he had no reason to.

“Oh no...” She suddenly muttered, frantic. “Red! Was there a boy with me with red eyes? Is he okay? Please tell me he’s—”

“He’s alright,” Her father said, taking her hand. “We found him with you, actually. He seemed to have protected you from something, but he wasn’t seriously harmed.” Amidst the gesture meant to soothe his daughter, he noticed that this was the first time Cynthia had ever been so concerned over someone—her mother and grandmother also making the same observation. 

“He protected me,” She murmured. It was the first time anyone had ever protected her in such a way, and it was someone she had not met or known for long. “I tried to run, but I couldn’t. But he didn’t run away, and took the Beedrill’s Poison Sting for me…”

“He did? If what you say is true, it’s a miracle he survived,” Professor Oak said. He was slightly doubtful as to whether the extent of Red’s injuries were supposed to be as Cynthia described. “I didn’t see any traces like that, though. According to the Pokemon Center, he didn’t even seem all that harmed at all.”

_Had the rainbow Pokemon rescued us?_ She thought, and found herself saying that sentence out loud.

“Perhaps that’s true. That Pokemon is said in legend to be capable of resurrecting the dead and healing the injured. If he was really as badly wounded as you say, perhaps he truly was fortunate to have that Pokemon heal him.” Professor Oak replied. 

“If that Pokemon healed him, though…was he the one who got the feather, then?”

“He didn’t seem to remember when I asked him,” Professor Oak said. “All we know is we found the feather with _you_. Perhaps the Pokemon thought you were worthy of it.”

_Why me?_ she thought, the question of doubt troubling her for the first time ever in her life. _Why did I deserve this more than that boy did?_  She was used to getting whatever it was that she wanted and thought herself deserving of everything that came with her greatness, but now she wasn’t so sure. He could’ve stolen it from her and kept it for himself, but he didn’t—he couldn’t, for he had chosen to shield her from harm when he could have run away and left her there. She remained silent throughout her train of thought, before the inevitable question then came to her mind.

“Where is he now?” She asked. Was he with her in the Pokemon Center, on a bed just as she was? Or was he running off on his own in the forest again? 

“He should be back in Pallet Town.” Professor Oak said. “He recovered very quickly, so I imagine he’s out roaming around again. He’s likely playing with my grandson right about now.” 

“You want to thank him, don’t you, sweetie?” Cynthia’s mother slowly supported her as Cynthia attempted to crawl out of her bed.

“We all have to,” Cynthia’s father said, gently patting his daughter on her head. “He saved our daughter. And it appears he’s done more than just save you, hasn’t he, my dear?”

Cynthia nodded, reveling in the comforting touch of her father’s palm. She knew that she just _had_ to see Red again.

* * *

Pallet Town had been only a short distance away from Viridian, and while the town was small, it was also the home of Professor Oak and his esteemed laboratory, making it a significant landmark if only for that regard. Cynthia and her family had come there for another purpose, however, having already visited the Professor's workplace the first day they'd arrived at Kanto from Sinnoh.

Cynthia stretched her legs and gently took a few steps forward as she descended from her family’s private jet as they arrived at their destination. Her sprained knee still caused her to limp slightly, especially given how tightly the bandages around it were bound, but there was no longer the burning sensation that accompanied the movement of her joints when the injury was still fresh. 

Searching about the grasslands surrounding the small town comprised of only a few households and buildings, she eventually caught sight of two boys in the distance, seemingly in conversation. Between the two, she could still distinguish the boy who had saved her from his black, unkempt hair and his ruby eyes, unharmed just as she hoped he was. 

“Red!” Cynthia smiled upon confirming such a fact, approaching him. Red turned toward her at the mention of his name and temporarily stopped his conversation with the other boy, addressing her with a wave of his hand. Noticing that she was moving slowly, he considerately walked up to her as to not force her to walk more than necessary given her injured state, just as he had first advised her in the forest.

“Thank goodness you’re okay,” She said as he closed the distance to stand in front of her, relieved that he was safe and sound. However, she noticed a horizontal, slightly slanting scar on his forehead, lightly curtained by the thick bangs of his black hair; it was likely a product of the hit from the Beedrill that he had taken from her, one that would have ended up on her own pristine face if he had not intervened. The scar seemed to look like a wing of sorts with the way the line split into something that appeared to be the covert of a bird Pokemon’s wing, but perhaps she simply imagined the resemblance.

“Hi,” he said, a slight smile on his face. He was a lot calmer than she was, as if the entire incident where they had almost lost their lives had never occurred in the first place. “Good to see you’re okay.”

“What do you know,” a brown-haired boy around his age suddenly walked by and tapped Red on the shoulder, a smug grin on his face. Cynthia assumed him to be Professor Oak’s grandson that the latter had mentioned earlier; the boy seemed somewhat familiar to Cynthia, as if she’d seen him in some commercial or some sorts. Perhaps it came with the fame his grandfather had, but she decided to brush off the thought. 

“Saving a _girl_ , huh? Well, I guess she does look pretty cute.” The sudden comment caused Cynthia to flush, knowing that it had been the second time during this trip that a boy her age had called her cute.

“You would’ve done the same thing, really,” Red said. 

“I’m not stupid enough to go places I don’t know, unlike _you_ ,” he joked, causing the trio of kids to chuckle. “Then again, that makes two of you, and she definitely would’ve been in bigger trouble if you weren’t there.”

Blue then noticed his grandfather following three other figures in lab coats walking toward them—Professor Oak, along with Cynthia’s parents, were approaching the children.

“Looks like we both have some catching up to do,” He said. “Smell ya later, I guess.” Hi-fiving his friend goodbye, he ran toward his grandfather as Cynthia smiled at the sight of her mother and father approaching them. 

“Come on, I have to introduce you to my parents! They’re Professors, just like Professor Oak!” She said proudly, taking Red by the arm and slowly tugging him toward her parents. Red chuckled slightly at her enthusiasm, but made little resistance as the gesture.

“You must be Red,” Cynthia’s father was the first to speak to him, shaking his hand. “You don’t know how much it means to us that you’ve saved our daughter. We can't thank you enough."

“You’re welcome.” He didn’t know what else to say, and gave that simple reply. He then remembered how she had attempted to proactively attack the horde of Beedrill when he knew full well to not attack otherwise, and turned to Cynthia again. 

“Right. I was going to tell you that you shouldn’t have attacked first. I know I told you that it was best to do so against Pidgey, but it’s not a strategy that’s practical against stronger Pokemon like Beedrill. If we had held still and showed no sign of attack, they would’ve likely left us alone.”

“I’m sorry. It was my fault the both of us got in trouble again…” She then turned to address the scar on his forehead. “You wouldn’t have managed to get this scar, too.” She reached out her hand and gently pressed a finger against it, “Does it hurt?”

“No, not really," Red said, running his fingers across the scar. "I’m just glad you’re safe and that I’m alright too.”

“Same here." Cynthia then held out the rainbow-colored feather for him to see, huffing her chest with pride before him for the first time. She knew he was the one other person who just _had_ to know of her achievement. “Look what I found! I don’t know how I got it, but I did!”

Red’s eyes widened at the sight of the feather. “So it _was_ real. It’s great that you found something related to it. I’m really happy for you.” Red said, smiling. 

_He didn’t even know I had the feather,_ she thought. Part of her wondered even more as to why the feather had been given to her and not him, when she had largely only been able to find it—much less return to safety with it—due to his efforts.

“It was all thanks to you that I got it.” This time, she did not conceal how humbled she was.

“I simply did what anyone would,” He reiterated what he had attempted to say when Blue had been around. “It’s nothing, really.”

“I’d say most kids I know would have ran away. But you didn’t.”

Red chuckled, deciding to change the subject. There was only one reason why she’d come here, a place so nearby, by jet. 

“You’re about to head home, aren’t you?”

She nodded in confirmation, a semblance of sadness marring her smile. She definitely wasn’t happy with the fact that their time was to be cut short. “I am.” 

“Well, it was nice knowing you. Even if things could’ve gone badly, I’m glad that we were both alright in the end. I actually had a lot of fun.” He didn’t seem to mind that they had to be apart soon after knowing each other and becoming friends, only smiling at her. Some part inside Cynthia waned at his lack of care toward what they had fostered, as if it were merely a coincidence, when in truth it had meant so much to her, even if it didn’t mean anywhere near as much for him. 

“Listen…” She began. 

“Hmm?”

“Promise me something. Promise me that you’ll become a Trainer just like me one day. And when we do, we’ll finally battle for the first time. Take this,” She unfastened the black, cylindrical hair pin from her right bang before placing it in Red’s hand.

Red eyed the item she’d given him, puzzled. “Your hair pin?” 

“This is why we managed to meet each other, remember?” She said, “ I want it to be how we’ll meet again someday, too. We’ll grow up and become great Trainers. We’ll be the best in  our region…no, even the whole world! And when that happens, we’ll meet once again and battle each other.”

“You don’t have to force this on me, you know…”

“You don’t want to?” Cynthia asked, her expression sinking at Red’s less than enthusiastic response. 

Red scratched his head at Cynthia’s expectant look—it was different from the adamant looks she’d given him throughout the time they’d spent looking for the Pokemon Cynthia had described. Now that he looked at her again, she was admittedly very beautiful, much like how even Blue had deemed her so; this only added to how difficult it was to give her a good reason to reject what she’d proposed, especially with how disappointed she was getting. 

“Well...you _do_ have a head start. You’d probably be accomplishing a lot more than I have after today, especially since you got that feather.” Red said, having managed to think of what was a fair reply to him. 

“I have a head start, and yet you’ve already been capable of doing greater things than me. You saved me in the middle of that forest. You knew it was best to not attack that swarm of Beedrill while I didn’t. And...you saved me. You’ve done far more than I have, and I admittedly don’t know what I got the feather, that’s for sure.” Cynthia said, heat rising to her cheeks. She managed a smile knowing that she’d finally won an exchange against him, even if it was ironic that she’d only manage to do so by describing his feats as better than hers. 

It was Red’s turn to have his hands tied, and he would only sigh and smile at her wryly. 

“I guess I’m glad you think of me that way. I can’t say I’d know what happens when we grow up, but if we do meet again, I’ll make sure to give you that battle.”

“Do you promise?”

Red’s ruby eyes met Cynthia upturned, hopeful grey ones as the two stood in silence; the two knew nothing of the feelings the other harbored as the moment passed between them. 

“…I promise.” He relented.     

                                              

                                                     

She didn’t know what made her do it; perhaps she was already so used to physical contact with him after being supported by him for so long, but the joy that came following his answer prompted her to draw him close and hug him, her arms circling around his back. She could feel the flush of pink on her cheeks, but it was a pleasant feeling, a pleasant warmth that differed from the many times he had embarrassed her; it was a sensation she welcomed over the many times during that short span where he had humbled her.

“Thank you,” she said softly. 

He remained in place, his bewildered expression making clear that he was obviously unprepared for her sudden embrace, but he smiled and reciprocated with an arm around her back nonetheless. The adults behind the children also smiled warmly at their tender embrace, knowing that Cynthia had taken away a lot more from the incident—developed a lot more—in that short amount of time she spent with him.

A few moments passed before they finally parted, as she gave him her sweetest smile, reciprocated by his own. The engine of her family’s private jet roared and livened their surrounding breeze, and Cynthia knew it was time for them to part ways. She ran toward the jet and boarded it, rushing toward the nearest window to taking a final look at Red as he too, waved his last goodbye to her.

“Goodbye, Red!” Before the jet soared into the sky toward their home, she waved her hand and called out his name one last time through the window as she bade him farewell. “I know we’ll keep our promise someday!”

His would be a name she would forever hold in her heart, no matter how much time would pass until they would next meet…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My salutations to the Archive of Our Own Company. It's my first time here and I'm still getting to know the site's functions and people, so do bear with me if my first edition of this fic's release isn't as clean, and I look forward to getting to know all of you during my stay here.
> 
> Earth and Sky was once known as Pursuing a Champion's Heart many years ago on Fanfiction.net. The current title comes from how Red and Cynthia specialise in different forms of Pokemon battling, with Cynthia being skilled in ground combat while Red is skilled in aerial combat, a parallel I will continue to illustrate as the story continues to progress and unfold. After abandoning the previous fic for many years due to business (and a lot of drama) I've finally regained some motivation and inspiration to hopefully see this iteration of the work through to the very end, and I hope you'll all stick with me throughout this writing journey as things pass.
> 
> My acknowledgements go to Silif for providing the cover art as well as going through some of my chapters. Do check her out on this site or on deviantart for her art and written work.


	2. Chapter 1: Loneliness and Solitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now all grown up after their initial meeting in the past, Cynthia and Red now live out their lives as Champions, preparing themselves for the upcoming Pokemon World Tournament.

**Earth and Sky Chapter 1: Loneliness and Solitude**

The mansion welcomed Cynthia with an anticipated, dim lighting as she returned home late that night. Everyone in the household had since gone to bed, sans her butler Jervis, who was likely preparing for the errands she had asked of him for the moment and would only retire shortly afterwards. Quietly opening the door of the first room she reached as she ascended the stairs to adjourn for the night, she let out a satisfied smile at the sight of a young girl with slight resemblance to her, sleeping soundly and slightly audibly on her bed, the faint smile on her porcelain features as she slept signifying a tranquil dreaming. Dear and fragile such a glimpse was, one that the elder of the two sisters wanted to treasure only with her eyes as the younger continued sleeping, as if it were glass that could break if the older of the two were to come too close. Cynthia’s gaze defied a hint of despondence as she entertained the precious view for a few moments, before she eventually left and closed the door behind her quietly.

She then returned to her room for the first time in a while; having busied herself with various duties for the past week, this would also be the first time in a while that she’d would be at home for a good night’s sleep. The room sprawled with the usual mess she had left it; the bed was undone, books scattered on its surface, with more and several other items like papers scattered across the floor. Jervis knew that she preferred it this way, as it would make her more relaxed than if her room were tidied; in Cynthia’s own way, the disorganization of the room was a symbol of flexibility and freedom to her, whereas an orderly atmosphere was something that would remind her of the many duties she shouldered as Champion of the Sinnoh region, especially when the year was about to come to an end.

Amidst the untidy room, Cynthia suddenly noticed an unusual item neatly placed on the table; it was a vividly decorated envelope, one that didn’t appear to be one of her common letters requesting a report or jurisdiction from her local Pokemon League. 

She sat upon her desk, gently pushing aside the pile of papers, books and tools in the way and unfolded the letter; she caught sight of a familiar crest, one that was also stamped in the invitation to an event that she had participated in last year, an event that she had already planned to attend for the current year as well. There was another neatly folded piece of paper within it, however. Her curiosity piqued, she unfolded it and discovered that it was a letter meant for her, written in a familiar, neat cursive handwriting:

* * *

Cynthia,

I would presume that you’re a bit too occupied to answer my phone calls. That said, I decided that a letter would be the more appropriate means of contacting you in this case, old-fashioned as it sounds. I’m sure this letter will find you well, if a bit understandably busy at this time of year.

Part of why I’m writing to you is to invite you to the Pokemon World Tournament this year as per Clay’s request. The official invitation is attached with the letter, and I’d definitely recommend that you take it, given that it is the event’s fifth anniversary and the tournament this year will be held in a very different manner than its previous iteration. From what I’m informed of, I hear that they’re introducing a new format this year where both Trainers decide upon their rules at their own leisure, as well as a point-based system that no longer utilizes single-elimination as a basis. I’d definitely consider it the biggest international highlight of the year, especially since the competition’s only going to get stronger and stronger. 

All sanctioned Trainers of Unova are asked to participate this year, so I’m also entering the tournament this year despite being an Elite Four Member, and thus all other Elite Four members worldwide will be allowed to participate this year as well. I’m definitely excited about it, and perhaps we will even get to spar again during the tournament itself. You’ve definitely performed very well the previous year, so I imagine you could go the extra mile and win it for real this time, especially given the occasion. Red, of course, should also be there; I would imagine the world would be disappointed if he weren’t. Perhaps you’ll be able to beat him this year and wow the crowd this time? I’ll be rooting for you in that regard.

Let’s catch up soon, be it either through a call or in person. Why don’t we meet up in Undella when you arrive? And of course, my villa’s always available for your use, as always.

Yours sincerely,

Caitlin

* * *

Cynthia smiled through the entire time she read the letter, feeling slightly guilty that she could not have responded to her sooner, especially given how long it had been since the letter had first reached her desk. Even if they didn’t admit it out loud—perhaps it was unnecessary—the two were very close with one another. Amidst a sea of people she knew and acquainted with, Caitlin was one of the very few who knew her inside and out, and she could see her for who she was instead of the stereotype of Champion, as well as relate to her through her status as a highly privileged Pokemon Trainer. She reminded her of her younger self: spoiled, entitled, wanting everything to go her way, traits that occasionally persisted even to this day, antics that Cynthia would have to put up at times. Yet they bonded through their privileged statuses as well as the isolation that came with said privileges, and despite their occasional differences, they generally saw the other as irreplaceable friends.

Her thoughts shifted to the annual excitement temporarily; the Pokemon World Tournament would reunite her with many a friend across the globe and pit her against the strongest foes she had faced and would ever face old and anew. Even today, she had been discussing the event with her fellow Gym Leaders and Elite Four members, all of whom planned to share a flight to the venue. Roark and Byron were the exceptions, however, with the father-son duo having mining business to attend to and would have to go to Unova by their own means. That said, the details that Caitlin had described in her letter were not unknown to Cynthia, as it had also been discussed previously with them; given the eve of its fifth anniversary and the recent modernization and development that unfolded, it was rumoured that the tournament was to deviate from its single-elimination format that it had utilized in the past few years.

Although Cynthia had only found the time to participate in the tournament last year, she knew she had performed well, even if she said so herself; she definitely enjoyed the thrill that came with fighting the strongest opponents on the international stage, more so when she had valiantly triumphed over them. Many had held her in high expectation to win it all, and yet as skilled as she was, she found herself second on her first attempt on the world stage, defeated by the Trainer whose name Caitlin had mentioned in her letter—a name that many across the world revered and admired.

Little was known of his humblest origins, once a mere boy rising from Kanto’s Pallet Town as young as her own age to be Champion of his native region. His feats were immortalised in many stories, most notably being the Trainer who had single-handedly defeated the villainous Team Rocket at a very young age. Rather than accepting the title that had brought her and several others the fame, privilege and responsibility many Trainers would aspire, however, rumours sang instead of his isolation on the desolate peak of Mount Silver, above all others. It wasn’t until the introduction of the PWT that he’d resurfaced into society again, this time championing the world on the backs of many of the strongest Trainers he’d defeated—Cynthia herself included—and for three years straight, at that.

Cynthia knew, however, that her interest for him went beyond the simple fact that he was the most significant rival in the annual tournament; it was something beyond that, something that she’d harboured long before she had faced him in battle, long before even rumours of the legendary Trainer had graced her ears. The very fact pulsed in her mind as she approached her cupboard and opened it, turning toward the single isolated shelf in the top right corner. A single feather was inlaid in its glass casing, its translucent white sheen dull amidst the dimly lit room, since devoid of the wondrous, colourful lustre it once held. Once the cornerstone of her achievements and collections in her youth, it was now nothing more than a relic of her past.

Beside it was a picture; a memory, featuring a rainbow-colored wing held in her hand. A smile so sugary that it’d reminded her that there was once a time that she’d smiled like that, a time where she did not know whether or not she could return to after all that had transpired as she grew up.

She remembered the praise she had gotten from the Professor upon finding that feather; remembered the joy and pride that came with the impressions directed at her, that she was one destined for greatness throughout her life. And yet when she’d thought she had everything, there was one who had proved her wrong.

There was no picture, no clue or physical reminder that would lead her to him, sans the since decoloured feather within the transparent pane of glass. There was a connection still, however; that boy from before, and the Trainer known only as Red. The boy who bore the same name with the same hair, the same eyes; curiosity nibbled at her, knowing perhaps this instance of the tournament would give her the answer.

 It had been nearly twelve years since then; she had always believed that much like how she had grown to be Champion, that he, too, had become a Trainer as powerful, if not more powerful than she was, having defeated her in their only battle against each other. Even as an adult, Red had remained the only one who had properly humbled her just as he had from her adventure in Viridian had many years ago first in life, and then in battle. And even if she had yet to properly confirm it, it was likely that the boy tucked within her memory was the same Trainer who had defeated her last year, the same Trainer who had promised her to rise to the world stage as she had—she chuckled again, knowing that the two had perhaps reaffirmed their promise without even saying a word to each other…or any time that he would allow for the both of them.

* * *

The first few rows of seats before her were nearly empty for the crowd of spectators had thinned following the main events, but many still remained for the closing ceremony, dominantly of the Unovan population where they took pride in their host facility and overall achievement that year. The highest row of seats of the Pokemon World Tournament stadium had been Cynthia’s momentary respite of privacy with the Trainer that had defeated her—she had invited him to talk there following their battle, and although she had her doubts as to whether he would have agreed to her request, she found herself more than pleased when the three-time World Champion gave his consent. 

Her first impression of him, now unfettered by distance or rumours, had remained the same, what anyone would expect of a Trainer of his calibre—enigmatic, quiet, and strong. Finally getting the closer look she wanted of Red, she did indeed find the resemblance he shared with the boy she met all those years ago, despite also noticing various differences they had after growing up. She’d stared into his vivid, scarlet eyes, marred with the power and experience he had cultivated with age; they made his gaze seem almost intense, unlike the more innocent look he held when they had first met. She had attempted to identity him from the scar he had taken for her back when they were attacked by the Beedrill—the wing-like scar that was a symbol of his sacrifice for her, but she could not have done so back then, his forehead shielded by the rim of his hat and his spiky black hair. 

They had started their battle wordlessly; her final battle at her first attempt of the World Tournament had introduced her with many prospects, but above all, her battle against Red had been her main purpose that year, to spar against the Trainer who had seemingly already won the tournament twice. More than that, she had clung to the faintest possibility that the battle would have been her way of fulfilling her end of the promise she’d made, even as if she could only hope that Red would do the same, if he too had any intent of keeping his end of their promise.

And in the end, after a long, painstaking battle where she knew she had to put everything she and her Pokemon had on the line—she had lost to him. 

She remembered when she first took his hand and shook it following his victory over her; the fingers of his gloved hand felt cold, so cold that Cynthia could almost recoil at the depth of the sensation if it were any more frigid. Beneath the cold sensation was the roughness of his fingertips, fingers that signified dedication and hard work. It was a stark contrast to the younger, open hand of that boy, which even after all those years, she could remember was smoother—and warmer.

Basking in the evening sunlight that abundantly shone from the open roof of the facility, she walked slowly toward the stairs beside her, sighing as she eyed the cheering of the masses as her first World Tournament officially came to an end.  

Her heart still pounded following their battle even as she now stood alone with him, but perhaps there was more to its quickened pace than the mere thrill that came with the heated battle she had experienced…

Cynthia turned to gaze at Red, hidden within the shadows of the small tunnel that led to the lift that would descend spectators to the main entrance. The way his cap hid his eyes made it difficult to notice if he was paying attention. 

“Have you ever thought about what it’s like to be among them?” Cynthia sighed, not knowing what it was that made those words come out, but she hoped that he would respond accordingly, especially if the pedestal she had once saw in him remained untarnished. “We fight on a pedestal few others are privileged to step on as others support us, watching on expectantly. But the lengths we take to stand here are often taken for granted.”

Although her position provided her with joys many others would covet, she, too, found herself wondering of the joys others shared, joys that were simple and came with less expectation.

Perhaps her thoughts came from how their battle had ended; it had been a heated, competitive battle, but despite the enthusiasm that surrounded the stadium when they clashed, there had been a long, looming silence before the cheer that signified the battle’s end—one Cynthia had never experienced before, only after his victory over her had been made clear. It was something she’d never felt before, knowing that the silence had meant something. Disappointment? Or had it been nothing more than simply a moment’s dramatic climax? 

Hers had been a weight few had come to shoulder, an expectation of a new name championing the title of the strongest Trainer that Red had held for so long. And while she knew she cared not for those who would dare condemn her for her loss, she could not help but feel something indescribable about how their battle had ended. More than the fact that Cynthia was disappointed in how she’d failed to be the beacon of hope that would finally best the undefeatable, she was more disappointed in how she’d been unable to match the same person who’d humbled her back then. 

She was tall above others...but she was always below him. 

“It feels lonely sometimes,” She let out, hiding a wry smile. Her name was one she knew came with fame, adoration, and reverence, even beyond her skill as a Pokemon Trainer. Growing up progressively with these traits had eventually weighed on her, and the Sinnoh Champion gradually felt the exhaustion of maintaining such a pedestal, a position she rarely met others sharing with her. She found herself admiring the joys of the common crowd, all heedless of the gift that they had to revel in the heat of entertaining battles and live their lives without such a burden, even as they remained ignorant of the weight of the Trainers and Pokemon who fought for them. It was a simple, yet delicate luxury that the Sinnoh Champion felt many took for granted. 

“What do you think? Don’t you ever wonder what it’d be like if you weren’t up above everyone else...but over there?”

Finally, he raised his head as if to address her, his scarlet eyes now visible amongst the shade that hid him. 

“That’s merely a supposition.”

“Hmm?”

“We must all find our place and accept it,” Red said. “Wavering will only make you lose sight of what’s truly important.”

“You mean...you think you shouldn’t be wondering about things like this?”

“If the top has a place for only one, if solitude is what needs to happen, what comes with what I am now—so be it. It is not a price unless you make it so.”

And then came the _envy_ —she presumed as much—from the twisting sensation that suddenly rose in her chest that came with his blunt admission. Instead of seeing the pinnacle he stood on as a lonely place as she did, he saw it as a need, a necessity, something he must embrace to remain on that pinnacle, rather than an aftereffect. 

It made sense to her despite the bothering feeling—having willingly refused the title of Champion, he’d chosen to be free from responsibilities that came with the title, as well from society and the fame he would receive. The way he said that sentence out loud instilled an unshakeable feeling in her that he wouldn’t so much as bat an eyelid toward his lack of such things, for there was nothing for him to lose, and the reward in itself was that he _would not_ lose. He didn’t need the official title to be recognized as the strongest Trainer in the world, but was that truly all he sought? To remain on the threshold he’d set for everyone else, and nothing more? 

Cynthia herself had never really dared to throw any of that away for her own freedom, knowing that there was more to life than living it only for yourself. And yet was this isolation from all things commonplace the answer? Could Cynthia bring herself to emulate him, if only to attain the strength to match him as she so desired? Or was she, in fact, not envious at all? What if it was something else spurred her chest to constrict around itself?

The same wisdom, the same eyes, the same strength and humbling stature—and yet so different. Part of her began to doubt her assumption, but she reminded herself that people could change, especially with the amount of time they’d spent away from each other. Could she smile just as sweetly to him, just as she did when she presumably first spent that time with him in that forest, after all that had transpired in her life? Similarly, was this the same boy she’d met many years ago, the one who had been initially unsure of the prospect of being a Trainer?

Was such a drastic change the price of strength—the price of victory—that he now valued and sought? Was it a price that he had willingly chosen?

“So I see…” Cynthia muttered. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something in her sunk at his simple admission. “I suppose I envy that about you, being able to go about on your own like that.”

“You are never truly alone. You have your Pokemon.”

“Even if you have your Pokemon, that doesn’t mean you can live without much contact with anyone else…” She said, her voice trailing off. 

Why did he live away from others, if the rumours surrounding him were true? Even as he stood in conversation close by her, there was a distance between them she couldn’t fathom, a distance that she couldn’t find herself closing just by talking more. Why did he make a desolate mountain his home, not having even the slightest desire or inkling to want to meet those close to him...if he had any? How could someone willingly deny himself contact from others on such a regular basis? Did he not hold anyone special that he wanted for company even once in a while? Was she not one of—

“I noticed something during our battle earlier,” Her chain of thoughts were suddenly interrupted by his voice; stepping out of the shade, he walked toward her, and although she couldn’t finish her thought, she was glad that after making the majority of their conversation, he had taken the initiative to start a topic of his own. “You were wavering. I might be mistaken, but…I simply sensed it. At some point where we were to finish with our final Pokemon, some part of you was hesitating.”

“I was?” Entertaining the fact that he was still so blunt after all these years, she then realized that it was unlike her to allow her sentiments and emotions to get the better of her in a battle. All the same, however, she knew that things felt very different when she was battling with him than any other battle she’d ever been in. There was the thrill of fighting an opponent as powerful as he was, but then there were the many emotions that also within her; there was the happiness of reuniting with him and fulfilling their promise as being powerful trainers in their own right on an international stage, but there was also the fear that he didn’t remember, the confusion of such a drastic change he had seemingly underwent, from the young boy from back in her memory to the strong, aloof persona he now assumed. 

While Cynthia knew that she too had been through many things herself and changed significantly throughout those times, what happened to him…?

“I don’t mean it in a bad way,” Red continued. “I guess the better way for me to say it is that I simply feel as if I’ve yet to fight you at your strongest. Nor you, mine.”

“You don’t think...we’ve fought at our full potential?” Cynthia asked. 

“Strength is not fixed,” He said. “It’s something that increases with how dire a situation is, increases with an opponent that is more powerful than you, that pushes you to your limit. I see potential in you, Cynthia. Potential that I feel I haven’t had the chance to see today, potential that you’ve achieved once before, but something you have not shown to me yet. Potential that may even surpass what you have now. And similarly I feel I was not forced enough to show you the extent of my capabilities, capabilities that might surface only when fighting you at your best as well.”

“You think so?”

“You show great promise, Cynthia. Perhaps more than you know. I’m not sure what caused you to be unable to fight at your fullest today. But perhaps someday we’ll finally get that opportunity.”

“I’m…flattered that you see me in such a regard,” She said, her face slightly flushed, but she gave him a warm smile, relieved of her previously disheartened feelings. It was the very few moments she had ever felt genuinely happy about a compliment, even if she was starting to feel a bit embarrassed. It was a relief knowing that Red still believed in her and saw something in her, even as the crowd had seemingly deemed her another strong Trainer second to the World Champion.

“You know, long ago…” Cynthia began, her heartbeat pacing faster knowing that the moment just felt right. “I had a promise with someone. I promised that we’d meet here long after we’d met in the past, battling one another after we’ve become strong Trainers. In a way, I feel as if I've kept my end of that promise.”

There was something inside her that refused to ask outright, something that spurred her to hint at what she wanted cryptically; he was keen, and surely he would understand if he truly remembered. Something inside her _desperately_ _wanted_ him to remember, something that wanted _him_ to reawaken the promise they’d made all those years ago, rather than her. 

“...Did something like that ever happen to you?”

“What do you mean?”

But the possible answers she wanted never came.

“You don’t remember making a promise like that with anyone?” She asked. She could feel her chest twisting even further at the oblivious way he said that. “Not at all?”

“Not that I can remember,” He muttered. “Sorry.”

His memory of her had faded like the colour that once graced the feather’s sheen.

“Is that so…” She murmured, her voice trailing away as she did her best to remain composed. It was hard to prevent her lips from twisting, however. 

Emerging from the shadows, Red then stepped out into the light, eyeing the open sky above him. His Charizard had already emerged from his Pokeball, stretching its wings to prepare to take off into the sky.

_You’re leaving so soon?_

The words came to her mind first, but the look that Red had given her suggested that she’d said it out loud. 

“I have to,” Red said, before Cynthia had time to explain herself. “What’s wrong?”

“No, I…” She paused slightly, shaking her head. “It’s fine. I’m sorry to have asked that.”

Not pressing her moment of doubt further, he turned toward the sky, not giving her even a final glance, and bade her his last word. 

“Bye.”

A powerful gust of wind launched him and his Pokemon skyward; the sun shone brightly even as it was setting as he soared farther and farther away, but instead of the warmth of the evening sunlight, Cynthia instead felt cold. Water from her eyes slid down her face and fell to the floor as she hid her expression with her hands, alone in the shade of isolated spot she was at even as the cheer continued beneath her.

* * *

It was the first and last time she’d met and talked with him since the two had grown up; alas, he had not remembered her, something that she was upset about following his departure. It was such that those closest to her had mistaken her for being sad due to her loss to Red when it was unlike her to ever be upset following a loss or a good battle, when it was in fact more to their battle and her relationship with the World Champion that met the eye.

Nevertheless, she, too, had worked hard for the potential that he believed in her, even as he did not remember her personally or give her the chance to remind him of who she was, and what he meant to her. Why he had denied her that chance she knew not for certain, but neither did she blame him; she knew that he was entitled to the life on his own that he had chosen, one that she knew that despite the perceived freedom from the responsibilities of an official Champion, came with its own set of challenges and duties that came with his name and the feats that he was known for.

She knew that she had grown stronger over the past year, but so would he—she knew that he would not stagnate as he waited for her to grow. If there was anyone in her life that could have ever humbled her, it was him, and it if it would take her to show herself at her best to gain his recognition and finally reunite with him properly, she would. They had both kept their promise inadvertently, but Cynthia was determined that she would meet it this time during this instance of the Pokemon World Tournament, where the unique fashion of this year’s tournament would perhaps make their battle all the more exciting and their reunion all the more meaningful.

A single tear fell down her cheek before she eventually drifted into her dreams as she slumped upon her unmade bed, indulging in illusory experiences of her recollected memories within her dreams.

* * *

The tune of the blizzard around him was the choir that broke the otherwise silent mountaintop, always chanting something different, but never being clear on what; the cold wind was spring to him, the mundane scenery of white before him brightening and darkening like the rise and fall of the sun, as if the heavy snow only allowed the faintest trace of its light to signify day and night. And there they would stand and watch at the same spot every day, still and unmoving. Only the flicker of the Pokemon’s flaming tail would change and move, a small, albeit adequate source of warmth for the two if they even required it to be such.

Soft, crunching footsteps resounded behind them, barely audible amidst the howl of the blizzard, as an Ursaring made its presence known behind the Trainer and his Pokemon, berries of different kinds tucked within the crevice of its folded, strong arms; from the height and longer shoulder fur, it appeared to be a female, likely a mother scavenging food for her young.

The mammalian Pokemon regarded the Trainer curiously, who in turn regarded it without the slightest hint of inclination or fear as his own Pokemon stood beside him; though Ursaring on the mountain tended to be aggressive and struck at the first sight of one unfamiliar, the Trainer and the wild Pokemon instead stood still for a few moments in a soundless exchange. The Trainer had healed the injured Pokemon after finding her fallen atop the rockier segments that lead to the desolate peak of the otherwise fertile mountain, bruised on the cold ground with berries in her paws. The snow was heavier this time of year; though the Trainer had no track of time, it wasn’t far-fetched to assume that another year was about to end, and so he found it no surprise that even one of the most dominant Pokemon on the kill-or-be-killed mountaintop was being driven to its limit.

Even for the Pokemon that thrived atop the mountain, it was known among them that the peak of Mount Silver was home to but one man and his Pokemon—home to but one who could withstand its frigid trials and had continued to do so for many years. He and his Pokemon would roam around the mountain in their daily search for food and water, just as any other Pokemon who lived there would, living among them as if he were one of them, and even as a human, he had been stronger than even them who survived on that mountain, known across the region to the among the strongest in the wild, where their innate nature tempered by the harsh trials of the mountain would spare none but the strongest. He reigned atop the mountain not as ruler or tyrant, but as simply another being living there, one that was ready to aid those in need despite his own strength, just as he had done to the Ursaring. He also welcomed any challenge from Pokemon who thought themselves strong enough for the task of defeating him, none if any ever succeeding.

As that very inhabitant now stood before the Ursaring, unfettered by the cold even without the Ursaring's thick fur, it knelt before the Trainer, perhaps as a sign of gratitude, before the mother Ursaring eventually shuffled off and took her leave, vanishing into the snow. Taking a last glance as the Pokemon faded into the scene of white nothingness, the Trainer and his Charizard returned to the indistinguishable scene behind them, perhaps seeing things amidst the snow that others could not.

He let a letter fly from his hand and disappear within seconds into the blizzard, not knowing nor caring how far it’d fly, or where and when it’d be buried under the mundane, thick snow. A letter he would receive every year inviting him to put his strength to the test on the international stage—a stage he had proven himself more than enough times, a stage that consolidated his title across the world as its most powerful Pokemon Trainer. It was a title that gave him a solitude as idiosyncratic as his uncrowned status among the mountain’s inhabitants.

The Trainer’s gloved hand gently traced itself toward on the metal attachment that was wrapped around his Pokemon’s chest, two orbs inlaid on its metal surface, one orange and one blue, each with their own distinct coloration and pattern. The location where he had chosen to have them placed onto the Pokemon was a reminder for both of them, a reminder that their strength came from within, from the heart. He then placed his thoughts then returned to many a battle he had experienced for the past year. Once in a blue moon, some that would dare to scale its peak would find him at the summit as the final challenge. It was these battles that would inspire him to step down from that peak, step down in search of more of these battles he would come to appreciate, challenges he could find nowhere else. They’d stayed atop that mountain for long enough that year.

Regardless of the battles that he had gone through since a time far long past, one thing remained the same: _he had not lost._

And perhaps he would prove that he wouldn’t yet again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I'd be generous and post another chapter due to its more descriptive and transitory nature. Old readers may recognise this as the old prologue, though I've since tweaked it slightly maintaining the same premise that some enjoyed from the previous iteration. The plot will become more eventful starting next chapter with this chapter setting the ground work in place, so stay tuned for that, and all amiable reviews are appreciated.


	3. Chapter 2: Where the Earth and Sky Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia arrives in Unova and reunites with her friends, as well as an opportunity to meet Red following his own arrival.

**Earth and Sky Chapter 2: Where the Earth and Sky Meet**

Staring out the window, an aquamarine ocean spread out across the horizon, broad as the possibilities her journey to Unova would bring. Bird Pokemon of various kinds scattered above the blanket of blue that made the view outside; their abundant presence was a telltale sign that they were nearing their destination, and they flew alongside the jet as if they were escorts welcoming the passengers’ arrival. The jet descended from the view of clouds above to glide a small distance above the water’s surface, and as one could see the first traces of land and synthetic structures in the distance, the pilot abruptly announced their oncoming arrival within ten minutes.

Onboard the jet were Cynthia’s fellow Gym Leaders and Elite Four members from Sinnoh who were seated on the main deck; Cynthia herself was now sitting leisurely on her own personal deck, staring into space even as the previous announcement breezed through her ears. She had spent the morning chatting with her fellow colleagues and had even given a well-received speech to raise their morale in preparation to make their region proud during this year’s tournament.

She felt somewhat exhausted following her interactions with her colleagues that day and desired some time alone; the many proud and expectant faces that had littered the main deck solidified the weight Cynthia carried as Champion of the Sinnoh region, and how much her performance would mean to both her region and her colleagues, especially given how well she had performed the previous year. She could imagine many others beyond those familiar faces, beyond Sinnoh—beyond her home—that likely saw similar greatness in her and anticipated just as much during this year’s Pokemon World Tournament.

She remembered herself enjoying that praise at a time in her life, all the chatter and fame and high regard that came with being talented and privileged. She knew that she once thought herself deserving of all of it, not realizing the magnitude of such a weight, and the disappointment that would be brought about if she could not live up to both her own and others’ expectations. When was it, however, that she had wavered? The frown on her face gave away the fact that she wasn’t fully appreciating what people expected of her given her prestige. When was it instead that she decided that she wanted to be free from these expectations? When was it that she found herself valuing vulnerability, even if it meant but a fleeting moment of respite from the many people she had to steel herself for?

Few, if any, gave her that room for vulnerability. No, it was more apt to say that she refused to appear vulnerable to anyone but said few, and even then there was a strength she needed to maintain for her family and friends; she could never allow herself to rely on them. The only time she remembered herself being so vulnerable, so unafraid of a mistake and willing to count on someone, was with…

“Something on your mind, sis?”

A smaller, warm hand brushed against her own; it was Cynthia’s younger sister, Cassandra, who had arrived at Cynthia's deck after chatting in the Sinnoh League deck with Gym Leaders Candice and Gardenia. She appeared to have ventured onto Cynthia’s deck before she had even noticed, and Cynthia responded to her sister ten years her junior with a warm smile.

“It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired, that’s all.”

“You look sad,” Cassandra whispered, unconvinced. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong, sweetie.” Cynthia gave a tender look at her younger sister and stroked her head to comfort her. 

“Are you scared?” She pressed on, unconvinced. “Scared that you won’t do well this year? That you won’t beat that Red guy those Gym Leaders were talking about earlier?”

A moment’s silence passed. Her conversations from earlier had definitely not left out Red, as he was the World Tournament’s three-time undefeated Champion, with Cynthia herself proving to be one of the only few who came close to usurping the Trainer’s title. Even then, Red himself had told her that the two had yet to fight at true strength, something she had worked to rectify for their inevitable battle against one another this year. Their first and last conversation a year prior had spurred her to work hard for both his sake and her own, and she desired to give him the challenge the both of them had promised, both before and after they had become famed Trainers.

Another juxtaposition of emotions swirled within her as her younger sister mentioned his name. Hers was an idiosyncratic case when it came to him: few, if any, knew that he was more than a simple rival to her. He had also been her saviour and someone who had taught her an important lesson for a time. She wouldn’t be where she was today if it weren’t for him, both in terms of the motivation he had given her and the many things he’d done for her during their first meeting. There was the excitement surrounding meeting and battling him again, but there was also the fear, fear she hadn’t felt for a long time, fear of losing—but what was it she truly feared? Was it losing him, or was it losing  _ to  _ him?

“You know what I always say, right?” Cynthia could only give her sister a vague response, “Even if you lose, never lose your love for Pokemon. There is merit in losing every now and then if it means you can learn and develop.”

“But you never lose, sis! Well, he’s the only person that I know you’ve ever lost to, but you’re going to beat him this year, right? You’re strong, after all.”

Cassandra could not notice the wry turn of her sister’s lips through her innocent belief that Cynthia was unbeatable. Cassandra held her sister in a higher regard than anyone ever could, and Cynthia knew that full well.

“Please fasten your seat belts. We are about to land at the Mistralton Airport.” Before Cynthia could respond further, the pilot’s voice resounded across the vehicle, spurring Cynthia to help Cassandra find a spare seat in her deck and fasten her seat belts before attending to her own. The conversation between the sisters did not continue further as the view developed into a wide pane of grey as the jet began to land, other already landed aircraft coming into view. 

The Sinnohan visitors came out of the jet and checked out of the airport after obtaining their luggage through the customs. Outside the Mistralton Airport, a bus was already stationed nearby awaiting their arrival. The bus would take them to the Cold Storage just south of Driftveil, where the Pokemon World Tournament would be held, after which it would put their luggages in a hotel, also prepared specifically for them, in Nimbasa City. 

Cynthia, however, did not follow them aboard the bus; taking her own luggage and that of her sister’s, instead making a phone call for a chauffeur that she had booked before her arrival. 

“Sis? Aren’t you coming along with us?” Casasandra asked. 

“Stay with Jervis,” Cynthia said, patting her on the head. She nodded to Jervis, who bowed to assure him that he would keep her safe. “You guys go on ahead; I imagine you’ll be glad to check out the Cold Storage again. I have to meet someone for the time being.”

* * *

 The vehicle’s tires came to a hissing halt upon nearing the sandy ground of Undella. Fewer people were present on the beach this time of year, and the breeze was far cooler as winter was fast approaching. It was a contrast to the coveted warmth of the summer sunlight that attracted so many tourists and locals during said season, much like how it was one of Cynthia’s personal favourite holiday spots for the mid-year. Even during the colder seasons, however, Undella’s small population and general tranquil atmosphere meant that Cynthia generally opted to stay there during her visits to Unova, especially with the comfort of a picturesque ocean set out before the villas available there.

As she stepped out of the limo, she tipped the chauffeur before he went about with his other duties. She then turned toward the temporary residence she would be staying in while the Pokemon World Tournament persisted—it was a particularly large villa that stood right opposite the Pokemon Center and the northern tunnel that led to the wilderness, one that she had visited many times. She wondered if Jervis would arrive with her family’s luggage soon as she stepped forward and entered the spacious residence.

She opened the door to discover two women already waiting for her; the first, who appeared prim and proper aside from her unkempt, unusually long brown hair, smiled as she noticed her arrival. It was Caitlin, a member of the Unova Elite Four, and the person who had provided the villa for Cynthia and her family’s use. Surprisingly, however, Cynthia noticed another excited, familiar face beside Caitlin—a woman around their age dressed in gothic clothing with large round glasses, a pencil behind her ear. It was Shauntal, another fellow Elite Four member of the Unova Pokemon League. 

“It seems you’re here early,” Cynthia was the first to speak, smiling. “I see Shauntal’s here too.”

“We would have been able to talk alone, but Shauntal simply insisted she must come along,” Caitlin said, “I imagine she’s had something to discuss with you for quite some time.”

“Geez!” Caitlin’s statement earned a pouting expression from the novelist, “It’s not every day I get to meet up with Cynthia, can I? I don’t have best friend privileges like you do!”

“If you know that I have those privileges, you would do well to be more considerate of both of us given that knowledge.” Caitlin said, as if she were a teacher reprimanding a student for misconduct, before giggling at the amusing situation that had transpired. Footsteps suddenly resounded from the kitchen as Caitlin’s personal butler, Darach, suddenly appeared before them. He bowed lightly to welcome Cynthia’s arrival, to which she nodded back in response. Cynthia was familiar with Darach much as she was close with Caitlin despite the butler only having served her best friend in recent years, and Cynthia knew that he had arrived to clean up the villa for the Sinnoh Champion and her sister to stay in it. 

On Darach’s hand was a tray of treats that he had prepared for Caitlin and their guests. Caitlin took a serving of a cone of white ice cream and gestured to the tray of treats toward Cynthia and Shauntal. “Casteliacone?”

Casteliacones were a treat exclusive to the Unovan autumns; Caitlin had asked Darach to purchase a few for their enjoyment before they had arrived at the villa. Being the ice cream lover she was, Cynthia found herself incapable of resisting, as she and Shauntal took one from the tray and helped themselves to the local delicacy. 

“Please, sit. Given that you’re here, I take it the rest of the Sinnoh Gym Leaders and Elite Four have also arrived? Is your sister here, as well?” Caitlin asked. 

“That’s correct. They’ve probably arrived at the venue as of now, though Roark and Byron will be arriving late on another Sinnohan flight. Cassandra’s currently with Jervis heading to the Cold Storage. I imagine she’ll be happy meeting up with some of the Unova Gym Leaders.” Cynthia remembered the sight of when Cynthia had first introduced her to some of her Unovan friends, particularly Skyla and Elesa, in the same villa she was currently at the year before. 

“Are you sure it’s okay for you to not go along with them?” Shauntal asked, placing her pencil on her chin.  “I do feel bad about asking you to meet up with us like this.”

“They know that I’m here,” Cynthia reassured her, taking another lick off her Casteliacone. “Besides, the registration only ends near the evening, doesn’t it? I can spare some time. Why are you guys here, though? I would have assumed you two would have been busy given that you guys are host participants.”

“The Gym Leaders insisted that their efforts alone would suffice. I do admit it’s nice to relax while the weather’s cooling down.” Caitlin said, stifling a yawn. 

“She had a good nap before you arrived,” Shauntal said, giggling slightly. 

Cynthia giggled in response as she continued savouring her ice cream, knowing that it was typical of Caitlin to have naps throughout the day. “Do the two of you have any goals in mind in particular this year?”

“I intend to carry on as I do when working as a member of the Elite Four. It would certainly be a pleasure if I were to earn any awards or titles, but I personally just want to enjoy the event as is. Too much competition can wear you out, after all.” Caitlin said. Cynthia managed to hide a chuckle at her Caitlin’s comment, remembering the times where the latter had served as the mistress of the Battle Castle and the tantrums she had over losses that she didn’t approve of. 

“I’m not really into the whole winning and achievement thing,”Shauntal said, flipping through her notebook. “Of course, that isn’t to say that I’m not excited about participating in the PWT this year, even with my obligations as a native Elite Four member of the host region. No, there’s a lot more exciting things I can get from the event.”

“Like yet another unoriginal plot for your next novel?” Caitlin teased.

“Excuse you, I’ll have you know that my books  _ can  _ be good, even if you can’t appreciate them.” Rebutting Caitlin’s statement with a slightly irritated look, it quickly dissipated before Shauntal then returned her attention to Cynthia. “Anyways, that’s why I’ve so adamantly tagged along! I thought you’d be a great source of inspiration for me, Cynthia. I hope you won’t mind me asking you a few questions?”

“Oh, I’ll do my best to help,” The request seemed harmless, and Cynthia was ready to provide Shauntal with whatever she could.  “Please, ask away.”

“I’ve always been writing about Trainers and their Pokemon, but honestly, I feel I need to get into a new genre. That’s why the next book I intend to write will lean a bit on romance; Caitlin didn’t tell me much about that about the topic, but I figured you’d be someone who’s been through some romance in your life for me to ask, especially given who you are. You’ve had some experiences, haven’t you?”

Although it was natural for most to take some time to administer the question, Shauntal quickly realized that she wasn’t making it easier for Cynthia, evident from the slightly troubled expression the latter adopted even as she attempted to maintain her composure at Shauntal’s request. Contrary to Shauntal’s assumptions, Cynthia was often too immersed in her interests and work to find time for a partner, and even then she had always found something in her incapable of accepting the attempts to court her, even through simple dates, let alone confessions to try things out seriously. She could remember them holding her in an exaggeratedly high regard, one that was stressful to maintain despite her having no obligation to. Even through her inexperience, she still held her own slight conceptions about love, and how she desired a relationship—if she were ever willing to give anyone a chance—that allowed mutual room for vulnerability and being herself, instead of another commitment she had to fulfill. .

“Apart from the fact that most people are scared to even ask her out, she’s essentially turned down almost all men who’ve even had the guts to ask...not in a bad way, of course. I’d say she deserves standards much like her own.” Caitlin interjected. Cynthia broke free from her daze of thoughts at her statement, as Caitlin then exchanged glances with Cynthia, her gaze implying that she wasn’t sure if it was inappropriate for her to have said as much. Cynthia simply smiled wryly, as if to tell her that she didn’t mind.

“That’s a shame,” Shauntal frowned slightly as Cynthia nodded to reaffirm her doubts. “Still, surely even you had someone you once looked up to and idolized, at least some small crush or whatever?”

“Well…” She relented. Her thoughts did indeed traverse through the topic that came to mind. “I did have one experience. It was when I was very young, though, so I doubt you’d consider it something worthy of a proper romance.”

“Ah, it’s about that boy, isn’t it?” Caitlin smiled, remembering how enthusiastic Cynthia had been when she recounted the tale to her many years ago.

“That boy?” Shauntal asked.

A moment of silence passed before Cynthia let out a breath, and she then recounted the tale to the two Unova Elite Four members, just as she had remembered it the day prior. She told them how she had stumbled upon him in Viridian Forest during Kanto, how he rescued her twice throughout the journey she had spent with him, and how much she learned. She told them how she had shared a promise for them to one day become great trainers together, and while the two Elite Four members knew that Cynthia had very well kept her end of the promise, Cynthia had yet to let slip who he was, the fact that the boy had indeed done so as well, or that he was someone that the two of them would be familiar with, given that he had come just as far if not further than she had, just as he had humbled her all those years ago.

“It was the first time I ever felt humbled,” she stated, “And it was the first time I felt glad to be sitting on the back seat, letting someone else save me.”

“I’m surprised,” Shauntal’s hand did not stop scribbling on her notebook the entire time Cynthia revealed her story, her Casteliacone long forgotten as Darach cleaned up the mess she’d made. “So even  _ you _ have a soft side, Cynthia. One that wants to be spoiled as much as you want to have some agency in the relationship, huh? I personally think that’s a good ideal to have.  Have you ever seen him again since? Do you know his name, who he is, what he’s like?”

She could have said “yes” to all of those questions, but part of her wasn’t so sure about the lattermost statement. Her mind stubbornly clung to the smallest doubt, manifesting the tiniest possibility that the Trainer known to be the most powerful in the world was in fact not the person who had saved her—not with how cold he had been to her, how isolated he seemed to be. Apart from that, Red indeed had become everything that she had hoped for him to be; someone strong, someone heroic, someone who had bested and humbled her just as he did many years ago, but would she appreciate the changes in his demeanor that came with his achievements, the lengths he had taken for such qualities?

What in the world happened to him?

“He was…” Cynthia paused, unable not finish her sentence.

“The person who saved her was Red, Shauntal. At least, that’s what she’s said to me.” Caitlin answered Shauntal’s question before Cynthia herself could.

“Wait a minute,” Her voice paused just as abruptly as the scribbling of her pencil, “Red?  _ The  _ Red? You don’t mean—”

“I don’t know,” Cynthia spoke again, a despondent look on her face. “I’ve never had a chance to confirm that he is indeed the one who saved me back then.”

“But it fits, doesn’t it? Red eyes, black hair, someone who’s always been capable of humbling you and promised you he’d be a great trainer, and now look? He’s been the three-time World Champion ahead of you! Surely he has to be the one. Have you never actually confirmed it for yourself?”

“I…we didn’t manage to say a lot when I first talked to him last year. He left before I could even properly ask.”

“And he didn’t remember you from back then either? Even after he promised he would?”

Cynthia nodded her head sadly.

“Oh my, that’s just…amazing! This is simply—”

“Shauntal!”

Caitlin glared at her fellow Elite Four colleague, before the Ghost-type Elite Four member gasped, realizing how insensitive she had been for revelling in Cynthia’s story as her own inspiration. “Oh, no, Cynthia, I didn’t mean to say that, I…”

“It’s okay. I’m not particularly against you using it, if it does help you.”

Caitlin sighed, relieving herself of the momentary anger that came with Shauntal’s inconsiderate action. “You miss him, don’t you?”

“I do,” Cynthia confessed. “But it’s so difficult to get a chance to talk to him.”

“Well, you guys can’t miss each other forever,” Shauntal said. “You could always try talking to him at some point during the Tournament. Even later today would work; he couldn’t possibly miss the registration.”

“Perhaps,” She turned toward the clock on the wall to discover that it was almost half-past two. “Oh, look at the time. Let’s get going, shall we?” Cynthia said, the two others standing up and nodding in agreement before she walked toward the door.

As Cynthia was the first to leave the villa, the two Unova Trainers remained in the villa for a moment.

“You think she has a thing for him?” Shauntal asked. “Like, a  _ real  _ thing?”

“That I do not know,” Caitlin’s eyes softened as she watched Cynthia walk out the door with her back towards her. “I can tell that she’s scared despite her attachment to him. She’s always been scared, at that…”

After all, she had…

“...You think you could fill me in on more details?” Shauntal asked, an expectant glint appearing in her eyes.

“...You think you could stop leaving expensive ice cream on the floor if you’re only going to take a few licks?” The Psychic-type Elite Four member met her request with a dissatisfied sigh, to which Shauntal responded by shamefully hiding her face behind her notebook, only letting her eyes and glasses stick out.

“...Forget I asked.”

* * *

The group of three now stood in front of the Pokemon World Tournament Venue just south of Driftveil; the venue a small harbour that Cynthia and the others used to recognize as the Cold Storage a cool place housing abandoned warehouses--before it was rebuilt into the prestigious attraction it is today. The vicinity kept the surrounding ocean of a deeper aquatic color than that one outside of Caitlin’s villa, and the main building contained flyers, ribbons and other related items that dotted the enormous building and the surrounding vicinity for the occasion. Despite the small size of the venue, it was crowded with people, and the three girls could feel the gazes of surrounding passersby at them as they stood in front of the main entrance.

Taking a deep breath after exchanging glances with Shauntal and Caitlin, Cynthia then entered the venue to meet a spacious hall before her, one that appeared far larger and more accommodating than what the exterior of the building suggested.

“Good to see ya’ back to the Pokemon World Tournament, Cynthia!” The moment the three girls entered, a gruff voice amplified by a microphone resounded across the main hall. Almost everyone in the hall seemed to take notice of Cynthia’s presence, the majority of those present beginning to put their hands together in welcoming of their arrival. Some others addressed Shauntal and Caitlin, despite them already being present during the morning before they had retreated to the villa to meet Cynthia earlier. Esteemed as the runner-up of last year’s tournament, Cynthia’s return to the world stage was anticipated by many, and she was also very popular in Unova outside of her achievements in the tournament alone as the Sinnoh Champion and from her frequent visits there.

"The pleasure's all mine." She said, taking a bow toward everyone in response to their warm welcome. "It's great to see everyone."

"Welcome back, Cynthia!" Another array of familiar voices called from afar as she noticed two female Gym Leaders approach her; they were the Nimbasa City Leader, Elesa, and the Mistralton City Leader, Skyla; the two Gym Leaders were amongst Cynthia's closest Unovan friends, and a large part of why Cynthia trusted Cassandra to explore the facility with Jervis. Beside them was Cassandra, who appeared to have tagged along with them the entire time. She smiled at the sight, knowing that Cassandra was shy and found it difficult to open up to people, but had gotten along with Skyla and Elesa very quickly. 

"Elesa, Skyla." Cynthia embraced the two for a hug. "It's certainly been too long. I'm glad you two are well. I see my sister’s grown quite fond of the two of you.”

“Oh, I wish I could dunk her in my coffee, Cynthia.” Elesa giggled, as Cassandra shyly sidled back to her sister’s side. "How have you been?"

"Of course, thank you. It's great that you're here in Unova, Cynthia! How long will you be here?"

“I’d say around three months,” She said. "I've taken a break from duty and will probably be here for quite a while."

"That's great! Think about all we could do while you're here!" Skyla exclaimed.

"Looks like we've got a lot of catching up to do." Elesa declared.

"We certainly do." Another voice called out, and a large, red-and-orange haired man approached them. The group of women identified him as Alder, the former Unova Champion, and a mix of different expressions went across their faces at his presence.

“Oh, hello, Alder.” Elesa said, not hiding the sarcasm in her tone, knowing that the elderly man would be completely oblivious to it. Caitlin and Shauntal also gave off sour looks of their own upon his arrival; the two knew full well how their former Champion lacked the delicacy that most women he aggressively flirted with would expect from him.

Cynthia was aware of that fact despite not knowing Alder very well, but she kept her composure and greeted him as she would anyone. “It’s good to see you again, Alder.”

“It’s simply wonderful to be able to see you again,” Alder said, making a rather poor impression of being flamboyant, “And it’d be even more wonderful if all of us could share dinner together tonight. I know a great place where we can hang out. I’d really insist you not waste such a golden opportunity.”

“I’m afraid you’d be dining alone, as usual.” She remembered saying the same line to him once before, but his statement wasn’t exactly different from the first time, so she saw no reason to give him an answer any different from his lack of effort.

Her retort caused the rest of the giggles surrounding her to do their best to hide their giggling as Alder gave a depressed look in response.

* * *

M ore and more Trainers continued to flood the hall, and the afternoon was nearing its end by the minute. Standing in the corner of the hall with her sister accompanying her, Cynthia then scanned the scenery of various Trainers from different regions. She had already registered along with the rest of her Sinnohan colleagues and presently had nothing to do until the rest of the important guests and participants arrived. Apart from the Unova, Kalos and Sinnoh Trainers that were present there, she noticed some other familiar faces, such as Wallace, who signified that the Hoenn leaders had also arrived. There were other more exotically dressed members present, presumably from the Alola region, though Cynthia had never really managed to acquaint with anyone there in particular despite having visited the island once before. Members of the Kanto and Johto region were also present; Blue in particular stood out among them as someone Cynthia recognized, both as a former Champion of the Kanto region and someone she had met alongside Red during her exchange programme all those years ago.

But there was one person not here yet—the one person that seemed to be ahead of Cynthia all this time. Despite the arrival of the participants of his home region, he would likely venture toward the venue alone rather than join them, and thus she doubted that he had already registered and was present in the hall. Part of her itched to ask the receptionists to affirm her assumption, but she decided against it, feeling that it would be too out of character for her to ask about his presence. Then again, it was just another unknown feeling she had when it came to him; she was the one being pursued most of her life, but when did she ever find herself with such a stubborn pursuit, and of a person, no less, beyond her usual interest of history and ruins?

“He’s here! Red’s—” As if to prove her assumption wrong almost immediately, an enthusiastic, local young Trainer suddenly cried out those words without finishing his sentence. There was excitement in his tone as he announced his arrival, and Cynthia couldn’t help but take in a breath at the news.

The sliding door of the main entrance opened, and the crowd went still with a reverent silence. All eyes turned to the esteemed man who had just walked in from the door as he stepped toward the gathering wave of powerful Trainers, Gym Leader, Elite Four or Champion alike. A mix of murmuring, gasps and other noncommittal sounds emerged as he took his first few steps in the hall. The man who then entered was dressed much like how a typical Trainer would then enter, but all attention as if the very way he dressed was unusual; it was, in fact, all too familiar to them. He was fairly tall and his otherwise lean figure gave away a generous hint of muscle; his gaze cast away from view, his eyes tucked within the bridge of his cap, he  stopped a distance away from a surprised Clay, before he raised his head—revealing a pair of cerise eyes, their look so intense, yet natural, such as if they seemed to see too much. A rigid mask of imperturbable apathy complemented his gaze, his lips straight, his expression devoid of any discernible emotion; it seemed almost intimidating. The slight difference in the trainer’s attire didn’t go unnoticed by several Trainers present; one could see the foreign object that was the ring on his right ring finger, engraved with a familiar symbol and the colors of the rainbow. It was a Mega Ring, something that many were not surprised he would possess for a Trainer of his unparalleled calibre.

“Good to see you made it,” Clay said, before turning to Cheren, who took down his name in the list he was holding. “And that just about makes everyone, eh, kid?”

“Yeap. That should be everyone.”

“All ears, lads and ladies!” Clay’s gruff voice echoed through the loudspeaker he held in his hand which shifted the spotlight on him. Everyone in the room had been waiting for this moment, the moment that would officiate the beginning of the Pokemon World Tournament following the guests’ arrival. “It’s about time we set ourselves some ground rules for the tournament.”

All eyes were placed onto Clay as Trainers of different kinds gathered around, either in groups or on their own. Red stood at the edge of the hall, just as Cynthia had earlier, whereas Cynthia was standing a certain distance behind him, edging slightly toward the middle of the main hall. Cynthia’s eyes drifted across him for a moment, though Red did not return her glance, fixated on Clay’s speech as he explained the new rules.

“Our tournament will no longer be decided solely by an elimination format this year,” Cheren began, looking rather pleased as he announced such news. “Contestants will be pitted against one another between eight formats, with Gym Leaders and Elite Four Members sharing the same list of formats while the Champions will have their own respective list. The top four contestants with the highest scores after going through all eight formats will get to advance to the semis and finals in an elimination format.”

Chatter echoed across the hall, a mix of excitement and scepticism dotting the expressions and voices of all present there.

“It’ll means that yer all stayin’ in the tournament until the events end and announces ya disqualified,” Clay continued. “So don’t go on headin’ home or anythin’ unless you got a really good reason to.”

After explaining the basic ground rules, Clay then addressed the main event for tomorrow: the opening ceremony, as well as their first battle.

“Yer first round tomorrow after the opening ceremony will be a rated battle,” He explained. “Y’all will be pitted against opponents in a one-on-one format judged by a random selection of VIPs. Rules can be decided amongst yourselves with the only fixed rule being that only one Pokemon be used for that round. Ya get points regardless of whether ya win or lose, dependin’ on factors like speed, style and whatnot. Battling ain’t all about just defeating your opponent, y’know? It ain’t all about strength, and this years’ tournament is all about provin' that. It ain’t all just easy now, beating whoever’s in front of ya anymore. ’Sides. I can see some of ya wearing them Key Stones and Z-Rings with ya, eh? This years ol’ tournament gonna be a big one, no doubtin’ that.”

The world wanted to find out who truly was the most powerful Trainer; it was a title that could no longer be decided off elimination alone, as the strongest Trainers were also the most flexible and versatile, ones up to any challenge or restriction. Ideas popped in the minds of many in terms of the formats and challenges they were to go through.

“You’re all dismissed. Do rest up well, and I wish you all good luck for tomorrow!” Cheren said with a smile, and following the end of the announcement, the wave of Trainers began to shuffle as the crowd within the Cold Storage began to lessen; Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, Champions and other Trainers alike went about with their own activities, some groups planning dinner together, some returning to their hotels whereas some wanted to wander the city alone.

Cynthia then surveyed the moving wave of Trainers once again, looking for Red. Despite his fame, the plain way he dressed made it difficult to distinguish him from the crowd. She eventually discovered him heading toward the door, before catching sight of Alder, who seemed to approach the World Champion wordlessly. Red seemed to respond equally quietly, only glancing at him as his sturdy hand tapped on his shoulder, before Alder walked out of the building, giving him a final look before he exited the door. Red stared at him for a few moments before he turned to follow him, stopping for several seconds in front of the now-empty entrance.

“Excuse me, Red—”

She only saw the raise of a hand and a pair of powerful orange wings emerge in front of him, their flapping motions so powerful they raised a gust that ruffled all surrounding him, before he disappeared into the sky, not even giving so much of a glance in response.

_ Had he truly forgotten her?  _ She could feel her chest twist upon itself at the thought.

Maybe it was more likely that she would chance upon him tomorrow, where the tournament would likely band them in battle be it sooner or later, and even then there was the possibility she would chance upon him during the gathering stages.

But she couldn’t resist her curiosity—at least she thought that that was the impatient feeling nibbling at her chest.

But he could be anywhere—he was known to wander around, and it was unlikely that he would be anywhere close by, unless someone else had caught his attention.

“I wonder where he’s off to,” She muttered under her breath. Her thoughts returned to the small exchange Red had with Alder, but had it been anything beyond a simple greeting?

“Sis! What are you doing?” Cynthia had forgotten that she’d left her sister behind as Cassandra caught up to her, panting as she called out to her older sister. Jervis was close by as he walked up to her. 

“Is something wrong, miss?” The middle-aged man asked, looking puzzled by Cynthia’s behavior.

“Sorry,” She said, quickly tending to her exhausted sister as she knelt down to meet her eyes and stroke her back to ease her breathing. “I was looking for someone, but it appears I’ve been a bit too late.”

“Something wrong, Cynthia?” A voice addressed the Sinnoh Champion before she and her younger sister turned to discover Skyla and Elesa approaching them.

“Skyla? Elesa? I thought you’d gone off with the rest of the Unova leaders for dinner.”

“Oh, I have sky patrol duty today, so I have to head off to Mistralton later.” Skyla said.

“I figured I’d keep her company,” Elesa shrugged. “What about the two of you? You don’t seem to have any plans for the time being.”

“That we don’t,” Cynthia admitted. She wasn’t exactly sure what to do after the briefing apart from taking Cassandra back to the villa first.

“Hey, why don’t the two of you join Elesa and I on patrol? We can drop by some sites and have dinner with each other afterwards. My plane just happens to have some seats left.”

“What’s the coldest place you can think of in Unova?” Cynthia suddenly asked. She questioned herself as to why she asked that question out loud, but tracing her thoughts back to the possibility that if Red and Alder were up to something, perhaps the first place they would go to would be somewhere cold; at least, that was a place she presumed  _ Red _ would prefer. 

An awkward silence settled in following Cynthia’s question, before Elesa was the one who broke it, raising a brow.

“Where did that come from? Is winter not coming soon enough for you, Cynthia?”

Cynthia shrugged. “It’s an odd feeling. I’ve been here in Unova for quite some time, but I haven’t exactly had the feeling of wanting to go somewhere I’ve never been before. Then again, I’ve always been in Unova during the summer, so it wouldn’t hurt to compare the colder times of year between Unova and Sinnoh.”

“Well, my patrol route covers all the spots I know, anyway, so it’s actually not an unreasonable suggestion. It’s nearing winter, so it’s going to be cold all year after a few weeks,” Skyla said, rubbing her chin with a gloved finger in thought, “And while some places are generally colder than others, say, the top of Dragonspiral Tower or Twist Mountain, my best guess would be the Giant Chasm, located just east from where we start flying.”

“The Giant Chasm?” Cynthia asked, having heard of the place before. “You mean that forbidden area that’s said to afflict its visitors with disasters?”

The aforementioned place was a mountainous terrain housing powerful Pokemon, and despite the region’s fresh entrance to autumn, snowfall had already graced that place; although said to be due to a dangerous Pokemon living there, it was also said to be a place where disasters may befall its visitors. Did Red of all people actually have good reason to go there, especially during this hour? It was a place of history that Cynthia herself had wanted to visit, but had decided against at the suggestion of others.

The assumption wasn’t far-fetched; it did seem to be a place someone like him would go to, provided he had the knowledge for heading to such a place…

“Yes. It’s a place that’s cold all year long. Coincidentally,” Skyla remembered something, “I think Alder was heading east earlier. He usually walks along the south near his hometown, but I don’t see him head east all that often.”

Elesa abruptly placed her palm on her lips. “What’s wrong, Cynthia? Don’t tell me you’re actually serious about reconsidering Alder’s date earlier?”

“Elesa,  _ please _ .”

“I’m just kidding,” Elesa giggled. “You’re looking for Red, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You were staring at him a lot during the briefing earlier. You must be really serious about beating him during this tournament, huh? I understand how it’s good to get to know your opponents before the big match.”

“O-Oh—” Cynthia stuttered, composing herself. She hadn’t expected her behavior to be that obvious, though she was glad that it wasn’t misunderstood. “Of course. He’s the man to beat, as it is every year, right?”

“That said, that does sound like a place he’d  _ want  _ to go. It’s as barren and as harsh as you can get in Unova, which is probably his cup of tea given what people say about what he does in Mount Silver all the time. Like, how does he even  _ stand  _ the cold up there? It’s a crazy obsession if you ask me.” Elesa said, dreading the idea of being in the cold on such a consistent basis. 

“So you want to head to the Giant Chasm to see if he’s there? I could give you a ride,” Skyla suggested. “Though I suggest you don’t stay there for too long, whatever it is you’re heading there for.”

“Thank you,” Cynthia nodded.

“Can I come along?” Cassandra asked, tugging on the sleeve of Cynthia’s coat.

“It’s going to be dangerous,” Cynthia shook her head. “I’ll take you back to the villa for the time being.”

“Geez! You never let me go anywhere with you, sis! And it’s been so long since we spent some time with each other…” Cassandra pouted, before her expression took on a more despondent sheen, one that caused her older sister’s chest to twist.

“How pitiful,” Skyla said, mocking a sorrowful expression. “C’mon, Cynthia, I guess you could spare her at least a flight with us, right? You let her come alone with Jervis over here, after all.

“That’s because I knew Jervis and the two of you would be there for her. And I will admit that I’m there for something...private.”

“I can respect you might want to talk to Red alone, but it wouldn’t hurt for her to come with us,at least, right?”

“Don’t worry, Cynthia,” Elesa placed her hand on Cynthia’s shoulder reassuringly. “We’ll take good care of her, we promise.”

There was a moment’s pause, before Cynthia decided it would be alright if Cassandra were to only cruise the skies with Skyla and Elesa without following her to an unknown venue. It would also be her first doing so, and now that she thought about it, she certainly wasn’t going to deny Cassandra such a rare experience.

“Oh, alright,” Cynthia finally agreed, stroking her sister’s golden hair. “I’ll let you fly with them, but I’ll be going into the Chasm alone.”

“Deal!” Cassandra cried, perking up immediately.

“It’s settled, then! We’d better hurry, though.” Skyla said, breaking into a sprint to lead her friends toward her plane. “The sun’s going to set soon.”

* * *

The plane landed near a clearing lush full of greenery, a stark contrast to the rumors of the place being barren and frigid. Nevertheless, traces of white could still be seen among the patches of grass and the leaves of the many trees that surrounded the entrance of the chasm, and Cynthia could feel the cooler surrounding air as she stepped out of Skyla’s plane; it felt cold, colder than most of the more common winters in Sinnoh that she was used to, even while she was wearing her thick, long black coat.

“So this is the Giant Chasm…” Cynthia said, eyeing the surrounding scenery. “At first glance, it seems quite large. I don’t know if I’ll get lost, but…”

“Oh, go straight into that cave and venture inside.” Skyla said, pointing toward the cavern entrance a stone’s throw away from her landing spot. She was sitting on the pilot’s seat with her goggles on, and she had stopped the plane on the Giant Chasm before she would continue to fly around Unova for her patrol shift with Elesa and Cassandra accompanying her. “It’s a bit confusing, but the Chasm itself isn’t very large, so I doubt you’ll get lost. If you’re in doubt, just give me a signal or something toward the sky and I should be able to find you.”

“Noted.”

“I’m sure you can hold out for yourself even in a place like this, Cynthia. See you in around an hour!” Skyla reentered her plane as she along with Cassandra and Elesa waved Cynthia a temporary goodbye, before the two disappeared into the sky for Skyla’s daily scouting duties, leaving Cynthia alone in the patch of barren wasteland. Following Skyla’s previous direction, she entered the black entrance that led to a network of tunnels and caves with many exits, perplexing her slightly.

She was treading on unfamiliar terrain looking for someone that would likely stand out amidst the seemingly challenging patch of nature spread out before her. The task itself didn’t seem difficult, but it wouldn’t be wise to stay out in this place for too long, knowing that the sky would grow dark in about an hour or so. She withdrew one of her Pokeballs and sent out her Togekiss, directing it to search for any sign of human presence across the Chasm. The Jubilee Pokemon let out an obedient cry before it then set out for its search.

A few minutes passed before Cynthia’s Togekiss returned to her, pointing toward the southern exit among the many holes that led to light beyond the cavern’s dark, imposing walls. Gently stroking her Togekiss as a sign of gratitude, she returned it to its Pokeball and headed toward the aforementioned exit.

Exiting the cave, the scenery before her developed into a lightly misty scene, veiling her surroundings in a vague blanket of gray. Even through the mist, however, she could see that she had stumbled upon a forest surrounded by rocky, uneven cliffs at all corners; traces of transparent white dotted the grass, trees and rocks, as Cynthia suddenly shivered over the colder temperature of her current vicinity, even in comparison to the lightless cave she had to cross previously. From a distance, she could see some green turn into brown as a closer look revealed that not all the forest was lush and plentiful; a giant, gaping hole was inlaid in the central ground, likely caused by a meteor strike, as trees empty of their leaves and their snapped branches and trunks contrasted that of their surrounding green. She remembered rumors of how part of the forest in the chasm had been destroyed as a result of a terrible landslide or some such disaster, and noted it was likely the one set out before her.

And in the centre of the barren sand were two silhouettes, one taller than the other. She inched toward them, and eventually came to recognize them after walking until she was only a fair distance away from her. They were Red and Alder, apparently deep in conversation. Although she could barely see it, she could see puffs of cold air rising from in front of the younger Trainer as his back was turned to her, making it look as if he were taking in the cold as if it were fresh air.

Part of her felt proud of herself for accurately guessing where they were upon this discovery, rewarded by her previous assumption that they were indeed together, as well as Red’s preference for cold, natural places. What excited her more, however, was that she was finally going to meet him again, to clarify something she wanted to know ever since their last meeting the previous year. All she needed to do was to make her move and all would finally be clear.

But then—

“You’ve really had things rough, haven’t you?”

The first words she could make of their conversation came from Alder; she could bear no close look at their expressions given that their backs were turned toward her, but for a rare moment in time, Cynthia realized that she had never heard Alder speak so seriously—so  _ gravely _ . Then again, her experiences with him were mostly limited to his lame attempts at flirting and asking her out much like his previous, umpteenth attempt earlier that afternoon, but what he said surprised her more than the tone he used. She hated to eavesdrop, but she couldn’t help but lean in on the unusual conversation, hidden behind a shrub that dotted the southern corner from the crater’s centre.  

There was no answer from Red. From the angle she was at, she could detect no sign of expression, not even body language that would betray what he was feeling, not knowing what exactly he had said or done to have elicited Alder’s response.

“Let me tell you something, son,” Alder’s large, imposing hand laid itself on the younger man’s shoulders, making a slapping noise that even Cynthia could hear from her distance. “You’ve got your life ahead of you. You can’t bog yourself down over a mistake like that, even after what it’s done to you. Think about it, you’ve won three World Championships already, and the world may as well expect you to get your fourth. Of course, someone could beat you this year. I really can’t say for myself. It’s your generation, after all. But you’ve got a lot of competition for that; you know, your old friend, Steven, and even Cynthia, she could beat you to it this year. I don’t know how much winning it all means to you, but I’m saying that if you want somewhere to go, it’s where you’ve always been.”

Cynthia barely resisted flinching at the mention of her; despite her best to retain composure, she couldn’t deny that part of her wanted him to say something about her, if only to signify that he did remember her somewhere in there.

Alder sighed. “You should really loosen up, even after all that’s happened.”

The sound of a Pokeball opening suddenly resounded as Red’s Espeon emerged from its Pokeball; the Psychic-type Pokemon perked its body, its sensitive fur sensing its surroundings before its purple eyes narrowed themselves upon the shrubbery in the distance the very patch Cynthia was hiding near.  

“Something wrong?” It was Alder who turned toward the Espeon’s gaze first, before Red, too, turned around to match theirs; Cynthia’s eyes caught a quick glance at the Espeon’s gaze she shuffled herself backward, finding it the most intimidating of the three beings who were there.

“Good instincts.” Alder said, turning toward the source of the noise. “It’s probably just a Boldore or something, though. They’re more common in the mountains this time of year. You don’t have to scare it off.”

The former Champion expected the Eon Pokemon to expose what was behind them with its Psychic or some such, but a gust of evening wind blew past the shroud of green first; with it followed a hallowed silence, with the only audible sound being  Cynthia’s heartbeat raced at the fact that she was being discovered for how insensitive she was being.

The ruffling of the shroud had exposed a tinge of blonde hair behind it, and traces of her black attire were also visible. Even after the wind had passed, the Espeon did not act as Alder had expected, its gaze instead turning to that of Red’s, knowing that the look in its Trainer’s eyes told it he had identified what was behind it.

“I see,” It was Red who then broke the silence, and the next words that came from him were louder, audible enough for their recipient to hear from their distance. “You can come out, Cynthia. It’s been a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have Chapter 2. Had a little bit of trouble with this one as I'm not one for banter, so I might need to edit it a bit if I happen to find anything off. As always, hope you enjoy, and look forward to the next chapter, cause it's gonna be a big one.


	4. Chapter 3: Rekindled Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia finally reunites with Red, where a discussion with her previous saviour reveals that both Champions had yet to live in a bed of roses following their first parting...

**Earth and Sky Chapter 3: Rekindled Horizon**

“You can come out, Cynthia. It’s been a while.”

The surprise struck right through Cynthia as Red called out her name and identified her from the shrub she was hiding behind. Despite her astonishment of having been caught by Red so easily, there was a slight relief in her in that Red had also  _ recognized  _ her, reassuring her that he at least remembered her after their last meeting the year before. 

She would not fear or run away after knowing that; she had steeled herself to come to this place in search for him, and given that he still remembered her—even if only in her adult persona—it was a good step nevertheless in her attempt to tell him the truth.

After lingering at the spot she was hiding for a few moments, Cynthia finally revealed herself, stepping through the chilly veil of the surrounding mist. Ignoring the hostile glare that Red’s Espeon was giving her, her eyes were fixated on Red’s haunting garnet eyes that stared back at her as she made her presence known; his gaze appeared as if he was appraising her, seemingly holding something that made their gaze more intense than when she had first seen him once more the previous year.

Red examined Cynthia as she stepped into the clearing; she was one of many that Red had known previously but had not seen for the past year. As his final opponent of the World Tournament he had won last year, he held her in a certain regard, and he had to admit that he looked forward sparring against her yet again, with a better victory against her in mind this time round. And while it was not in Red’s particular inclination to admit the second fact that came to mind, between her luscious golden locks, her well-maintained bodice and her delicate features, he could not deny that she was gorgeous as she ever was—Alder’s entranced expression as he noticed her presence evidencing it further.

“Why, Cynthia!” It was Alder’s enthusiastic voice that broke the silence. “I didn’t expect you to come all the way here. Oh, I take it you’ve finally placed my offer into consideration?”

Cynthia initially paid no heed to the older Champion of the two, her attention fixated on Red as he turned to Alder; she could see in the look in Red’s eyes that he perhaps assumed that Cynthia had come here to look for the former Champion of Unova.

“Well, isn’t this my lucky day!” Alder exclaimed, walking toward the Sinnoh Champion, but he stopped and patted Red on the shoulder again before he could get close. “Well, I’m sorry I had to put you through an unwanted lecture,” He said, and the seemingly conclusive statement was met only by a dismissive nod from Red, who appeared as if he could simply turn away and disappear instantly into the evening sky at any minute, just as he did in front of the World Tournament entrance earlier that afternoon. “But think about it, will ya?”

“Wait!” The word came out with a loudness even Cynthia herself did not expect, and the two males suddenly eyed her with an odd look. Cynthia herself was also taken aback with how desperately she’d said the word, but she quickly regained her composure through an awkward pause, before she finally made her intentions clear.

“I actually came here… looking for  _ you _ , Red.” Eying Red’s response following her revelation, he seemingly gave nothing of his thoughts or expressions away to her. Even after their time apart, he was unobtrusive as he had ever been. “You can spare me a moment…right?”

“So you’re…not here for me, are you?” Alder asked, puzzled.

“I’m sorry to say that I’m not,” She professed, and Alder repeated the same gloomy expression she had when Cynthia had rejected him the earlier afternoon. His disappointment quickly dissipated into a wry smile, however, as he addressed Red again, speaking at a volume of which only he could hear. “Seems you’re quite popular today. Maybe she’ll change your mind, if I can’t.”

“She has no reason to know.” Red answered, equally quietly.

“You underestimate her. I imagine she’ll pry it out of you eventually—maybe she already knows something. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find yourself taking her response to the situation better than you’re taking mine.”

With that final statement and a wave to the two younger Champions, he trotted his way toward the entrance that Cynthia had entered from earlier.

The two were now alone in the Chasm’s centre, and nothing was seemingly going to be interrupting them after Alder’s departure. Even through the shield of the surrounding rock walls, Cynthia turned to the evening sky now shrouded by the cold of the mist, and presumed that the sun was going to set soon. The night would make Cynthia colder than she already was and would make it even more difficult for Cynthia to navigate her way out of the barren wasteland, not to mention how she had to have dinner with Cassandara and their friends later—she had to make use of the time she had left.

Their moment of silence was interrupted by a growl; Cynthia’s attention returned to Red’s Espeon and how it encircled her soundlessly, regarding her as if she were a stranger in its own territory. The sight of the Pokemon’s hostility caused Cynthia to frown, knowing that this was one of the few instances in her life, even through meeting and battling with many Pokemon and their Trainers, that she had seen a Pokemon so distrusting, so vigilant around the unknown. Then again, Espeon were extremely loyal Pokemon, and Cynthia’s interactions with Lucian, the Sinnohan Psychic-type Elite Four member, only supported what was mentioned in its Pokedex entry.

“Pardon my Espeon,” Red stroked his Pokemon to calm it down, to which it revelled in its Trainer’s touch affectionately, its hostile front momentarily forgotten. “Espeon doesn’t take kindly to strangers, especially given the way you appeared earlier.”

“It’s okay. I’m sorry I interrupted you.”

“No matter. What did you want to talk about?”

Cynthia took a deep breath. She would know  _ now. _

“Hold still,” she said. Inching closer to him, she could feel her heart pace faster by the minute; she herself did not know if it was the anticipation of confirming it for herself that elicited such a response, or was it the nostalgic scent he had up close that did so? Even after so many years, his scent was something she so vividly remembered even if the passage of time had changed it somewhat. Without resistance, her fingers then went through Red’s hair, and unfurling the black drapes that covered his forehead, Cynthia could see that a scar ran through it even through the waning evening sunlight —an unusual one, reminiscent of how the ancient texts she read would carve a bird-like Pokemon on parchment or stone walls.

And Cynthia did not forget—she  _ couldn’t  _ forget—what it looked like. It was the shape of the very same scar that he had taken for her back then. 

“…What are you doing?” Red said, recoiling backward a short distance at Cynthia’s gesture. His Espeon appeared even more irritated, looking as if it would act at any moment, but the look in its trainer’s eyes told it to stand down.

“This scar…” It was the same scar, but Cynthia could still use any lead she could to confirm that he was indeed the one who saved her. “How did you get it?”

“I don’t remember very well,” He said, “I got it when I got stung by a Beedrill many years ago. I believe I got it when I met someone in my local forest many years ago.”

His answer earned a gasp from Cynthia. There was a mix of joy and surprise, but the uncertainty—that of her feelings towards the stance. There was pain in her, pain that the very person who had sacrificed so much for her did not remember his deeds, nor once allowed her to give him that revelation.

“It _ is  _ you,” She breathed, “I always knew...I’d always hoped-”

“…What are you saying?”

“Don’t you remember?” Cynthia choked on her whispered words, the fact that he did not remember her only adding to the pain that came with her mix of emotions. “Don’t you remember anything…about me? About us?”

“An explanation would help,” He said. He was now very confused with what Cynthia was talking about, but had he indeed forgotten about something that he should have remembered? Many of his tales and history had been lost to time, but he could remember talking to Cynthia and seeing her as someone who could unveil her true potential to her someday. A thought suddenly ran across his mind as he stared into her eyes, slightly stained by her emotion.

Was it her?  _ Could it  _ be her? 

“Wait…” He suddenly eyed her closer and searched his thoughts once more, and he suddenly felt as if he’d found two broken pieces and stuck them together. “Are you actually…”

“You rescued  _ me _ , Red.” She revealed, “I was the one you rescued that day. Don’t you see?”

Cynthia reached for her hair and removed one of her hairpins, placing it in Red’s hand. Eyeing the ornament intently, a small surprise befell Red in time as the recollection dawned itself upon him, knowing that he had seen and held the very ornament Cynthia had just handed him—many years before.

“This is—”

“How you found me,” She nodded, suddenly hopeful that Red was finally remembering. “How we met in Viridian Forest. Do you remember now? The very day you carried me on your back and took me to the top of that cliff?

“But that means…you’re…” Could it be that Red had already acquainted with the Sinnoh Champion long before she had earned her title?

“It’s true,” She said. “I was the one you rescued twelve years ago, Red. I was the one you saved from the Beedrill. I was the one whom you helped find that Ho-Oh feather! It’s because of you that I’ve been able to come so far into my life, and yet...you never gave me a chance to properly thank you. Even back then…we’ve both fulfilled our promises to be Champions and fought together. And even if it wasn’t done in the way you liked it to be...we still fulfilled that promise. I’d hoped to tell you about it back then during our first battle, but...you didn’t seem to remember,” Her voice trailed off as she made her thoughts clear.

Red could feel something welling inside him at Cynthia’s revelation; although he had to admit that he’d never expected to see her again—more or less see her take the event so seriously to heart—there was guilt, guilt that came with how he’d found himself incapable of reciprocating their past with the same passion as she did, even if he had indeed rescued her, and the weight of the incident fell more on her than Red himself. And then there was the high regard she of all people saw in him, a regard that she’d held for all these years even as he’d denied her once in the past to express her gratitude toward him. He had denied that regard, and to make things worse, he had not remembered her...he had not cherished her as she did him.

But had he the right to do so?

Cynthia now addressed Red with a hopeful gaze. “You remember now….right?”

“…And what of it?”

The callous words were a thread that slid through Cynthia’s chest.

“Is...that all you have to say after we’ve finally met each other after so long? Even after we’ve finally fulfilled our promises together?”

“The fact that we’ve met in the past doesn’t change who we are now,” Red said, turning away from her. “And is similarly no measure of it. I’m no longer the person you met that day.”

“I know it’s been far too long since then,” Cynthia knew full well what it felt to hold the same esteem, the same pressures that she herself sometimes feared that she might be incapable of meeting, and part of her felt slightly guilty at expecting that from him. Regardless, she refused to back down, if only for the pain that welled in her chest at how he’d seen their past. “And I know it’d be selfish of me to expect you to be the way you were back then. You live alone. You live away from people even though you’re known to help the world whenever it needs you. But why? Why isolate yourself even as you help them…”

Red did not respond. Even through his unrevealing gaze, Cynthia could sense that he was having trouble finding the right words to respond to her.

“Tell me,” Cynthia stared at Red, a defiant look in her eyes. “What happened to you?”

“You were listening in, weren’t you?”

Cynthia wondered if that was an accusatory statement; the indurate way he spoke gave away no sign of hostility of resentment, but Cynthia still felt intimidated by the comment. She’d evidently walked into something private, something that Red didn’t want her to learn about.

“I didn’t hear everything,” She decided being honest was the best course of action to take. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

“And you shouldn’t. There are some things best unsaid, best unexplored.”

“Perhaps they aren’t appropriate for you.” Though she wanted to be considerate of Red’s secret, she found herself unable to keep her curiosity checked, knowing that it certainly had something to do with why he changed, why he was acting the way he was now. “It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“There is always a choice. The truth is no exception.”

“Then I choose to know what happened to you. It’s just that simple.”

“And what if it all isn’t as simple as that, Cynthia? What if I  _ do  _ tell you, and from it you find yourself hearing what you don’t want to hear despite pressing for it?”

“I  _ deserve  _ an answer,” Cynthia said. “Whatever it may be. I came here knowing full well that I needed to be ready for whatever you would say. I wanted to know what happened to you. What changed ever since we last met. You denied me that chance when we last met, even before whatever it was that happened to you happened. Don’t you think you should compensate for it?”

Cynthia stood, continuing to eye him even as he moved, patiently waiting for his next response. Red eyed her sternly for a moment, but his gaze softened, as if to mean that Cynthia had hit the nail on the head and found himself incapable of rejecting her.

Eventually, Red's lips opened, and the answer she wanted was divulged. Cynthia let out a silent gasp, before staring in disbelief at Red's now melancholic face, his eyes dark, stained by the negative emotion. He turned away from her again as he continued to look at the sky, as Cynthia felt the urge of a tear leaking through her right eye at her realization of the heartbreaking news.

“It happened last year right after the tournament. My mother was killed.”

“But how…?” Cynthia paused between her words, seemingly in disbelief of the tragedy that had befallen him. “What happened?”

“I returned home to Pallet Town,” He began. His thoughts ventured to the very day it happened, where even in the distance he hustled toward his home on his Charizard where ominous smoke rose from the ground. “It was  _ under attack _ . Everything was burning and crumbling. The lab, the trees, the houses…it spread across the route and would’ve extended to Viridian if it weren’t stopped. I found my mother dead on the floor,” His voice grew heavier as he said that sentence, “But she didn’t pass due to the suffocation from the fire. Someone had already strangled her to death long before everything had started.”

It had been no accident; someone had perpetrated the entire incident. Cynthia knew full well of that fact and found herself asking the inevitable question.

“But who…who could’ve done such a thing?”

“Giovanni,” He muttered. “Team Rocket’s leader.”

“I don’t understand,” Cynthia knew that the leader of an organization reviled across Kanto was expected to be an evil man, but being evil did not come without direction or purpose…not with such pettiness. “I thought Team Rocket was purely interested in greed and good Pokemon. Why take all the trouble to destroy your hometown?”

“You answered your own question, Cynthia—it was  _ my  _ hometown.” Red did not need to elaborate further, and Cynthia then remembered that Red was single-handedly responsible for disbanding the villain’s organization, and how he had always continued to stop him time and time again in the past. For Giovanni to be continuously halted by this one young boy, even as he grew up, would definitely fester a lot of anger and hatred in his heart…

Had it been an act of revenge? Cynthia found herself mournfully entertaining the thought for several moments before she was interrupted by a raspy mewling sound; Cynthia turned her attention to Red’s Espeon, not knowing if it were angered or saddened by Red’s recollection of the news.

“This Espeon is another victim of Team Rocket,” Red himself did not turn a blind eye to his Espeon’s expression that came with him reciting the story, knowing that it too had suffered much under Team Rocket just as he had. “When I first met it as an Eevee all those years ago, it was a test subject. They were experimenting on its ability to evolve into multiple forms, and forced it to evolve and devolve. There was a time where I had utilized this power despite its pain, even if only to stop them…” He said, gently stroking its fur, and his tone became somewhat apologetic. “There was a time where I thought that there was nothing I could do, but thankfully Eevee possess multiple evolutions, and I was able to cure it from its torment.”

“You did the right thing. And I trust your Rspeon knows it too. It’s quite protective of you, from what I can see. Still…what happened after that? Did you try and stop them?”

A moment of silence passed once more before he continued. “It was too late. There was nothing that could be saved except a few survivors. Even now, Pallet Town is still recovering slowly from the incident since then...but it’s not the same that day. Even back then, the authorities wanted to investigate the event. Many, ally or enemy died that day, and Giovanni was said to have disappeared. But the truth isn’t so simple…”

“…The truth?”

There was a long silence, interrupted only by gusts of wind that encircled the vicinity, ruffling their hair. There was a dubious look in Red's eyes; Cynthia stared at him with a look of nervousness and concern, raising a hand close to her heart. Things with Red were growing more grim and complicated than she'd ever imagined. Fear and wonder froze her eyes on his, and there was an unknown yearning within her - perhaps in that all would be alright.

“I murdered that day,” The statement came out grimly, but there seemed to be no wavering in his voice, as if he were a bedridden patient being told that his final hour was nigh. “I lost myself that day. I don’t remember many faces, but...I know that I killed those foolish enough to attempt to stop me from saving my home.”

Cynthia shook her head, a hand rising to her mouth. 

“...Rather than stop the flames that were burning my hometown, I only ended up adding to them.”

Even if he were not fully responsible for all the casualties that day, the deaths were still manifold, and some by his own hand; unrecognizable faces of Team Rocket grunts charged at him futilely only to fall against the flames and crumbling debris, and their Pokemon perished with them as he had, back then, remorseless left them to their own demise, seemingly deeming them deserving for what they had done. And then there was their leader, Giovanni himself, laughing as all Red had once loved was now crushed at his own design, laughing that he too, had forced Red to do the unthinkable, something the world would not expect the World Champion to do.

There was a violent clash between the World Champion and the leader of Team Rocket, a battle that had ensued far too many times between the two powerful Trainers. And even if Red had beaten him the many times the two stood against one another—it was Red who had lost that battle. He did not know himself if Giovanni had perished that day along with his team; he only remembered fire, fire that he used in response to the fire set during the town. 

He regretted it; he couldn’t stop back then with his emotions taking over him, the contrition only coming every day after he’d calmed from the horrible event. The memory was one lost to time, kept secret to all but a select few, and only remembered in Red’s memories that would haunt his every nightmare.

A tear slid down Cynthia’s cheek. Knowing of Red's dark past was something she found difficult to accept, but at the same time, she began to understand the reason behind Red's constant distantness. It was his conscience. For him, for someone so revered as a fighter of justice to have murderred, even if it was against evil….

“Oh, Red…” Her voice was now barely noticeable. The horror of the incident had reached the more vulnerable depths of her heart. “I…”

“Don’t worry,” Red now faced the ground. He knew that Cynthia, or anyone else who knew about the incident would probably brand him a monster, a person to be feared and avoided for the terrible act he had done. “I don’t mind if you’d kept your distance. It’s for the best.”

“I would  _ never _ , Red.” Cynthia said, the words coming out muffled as she drew closer to him. “You had to stop them. They killed your mother. They killed civilians. They destroyed your hometown. They—”

“You do not fight crime by becoming a criminal yourself,” Red said, and Cynthia suddenly found herself incapable of finding an immediate response to that statement. Part of her now shivered, not knowing what it was that spurred it—the cold, or the fear?

Her shivering did not go unnoticed. “You’re scared.”

“I’m not scared  _ of _ you. I’m scared  _ for _ you.” She said, surprising herself with how well she’d answered it. “Being alone because of your guilt is not the answer, even if you’re scared you’ll be hurting someone in the process. Everyone deserves a second chance for their mistakes…”

“Nothing good will come out of associating with me, Cynthia.”

“That’s not for you to decide." Cynthia tried to calm her composure, as she realized her emotions were taking over her mind and mouth that was blurting out things so freely and courageously. "You're not alone, Red. You never were. Perhaps you push others away because you think yourself unworthy of them, but sometimes you’d end up pushing away people that are like you…people who share your pains, your tragedies.and appreciate you because of them. People that want  _ your  _ appreciation because you know what it’s like. You may find people similar to yourself closer than you think..."

She felt it was her turn to speak of her tragedy. To speak of things she had experienced and done and not opened up to anyone else but the select few she held dear and trusted. Red's revelation had relative meaning and similarities to hers, and it reminded her of it, somewhat—things she wanted to keep away from her mind as she wanted to pursue a happier life.

“It happened to me too,” She was now revealing something that very few people in her life knew about. “My parents are dead as well.”

A slight surprise lifted Red's sorrow. His eyes, narrow from his sadness, widened slightly at her revelation. He noticed Cynthia's own sorrow, and his heart, for a rare moment, felt for Cynthia, a girl from the seemingly similar clan of orphans as he was.

“But, Cynthia…you too…?” Red muttered, but his pause did not come from his doubt; the despondent look she held on her face was different from when she had confronted him of their previous meeting, and how he had forgotten it. 

Even now, brief memories of how he’d only seen Cynthia’s parents once when they first bade their farewell surfaced in his mind, and the thought of them quickly disappeared as he could not fathom their demise. He did not assume any possibility that she had made it up, evident from the genuine sadness that wrought her expression. A face of such sadness was a first for him just as the news of his own tragedy—his reason for isolation—was a first for Cynthia herself.

Cynthia nodded sadly to affirm it, and she continued speaking as she turned to the sky, as if to find solace in the last traces of orange light that coloured the darkening sky every of slightly. 

“It happened many years ago, around when my sister was about a year old, two years after I met you.  I can’t remember why, but I remembered that before it happened that I’d argued with my parents.” The image remained a vivid memory in her mind, her parents’ faces, sour with a mix of anger in them, reprimanding her with soundless words. She remembered her then baby sister, Cassandra, crying amidst the noise. “I remembered myself mad at them, taking my baby sister from the crib and running away from the house following that argument. Perhaps I didn’t want her to be like them.”

How could have been so foolish back then? And for that foolishness, she had paid a price far too dear.

“But when I came back—” There was a pause from Cynthia as she remembered the day it happened, “Everything was burning. I didn’t care that I was holding my sister with me; I ran and ran in search of my parents. And when I found them, I…”

She remembered crying for her mother and father; she remembered running into her blazing hometown, the heat enveloping her surroundings just as the fear chained around her tighter with each second.

And she remembered seeing them smiling at her, even amidst their last moments that they were allowed before their fiery demise before her very eyes; a smile she could not return, even if she could from the look in their eyes that they still loved her, loved her sister, and wanted them to be happy. The crackling of flames that blazed drowned out her screams, even as her then-baby sister cried alongside her, as if to join her in her sadness; and the seemingly unstoppable well of tears were equally futile in dousing the destruction that surrounded them.

“If I’d haven’t acted so stubbornly, if I hadn’t run away back then…I…”

She couldn’t finish her statement. The dam that held her tears back did so no longer as she finished recounting her tale, letting out light sobs even as the slits of water flowed unceasingly, soundless droplets dripping onto the cold ground. She wept not only for her own misgivings, but his as well; time had been unkind to her just as it had been for him. Where she did her best to hold back her tears when she first met him, she now lacked the bluster to resist those tears, or perhaps she did not even resist them, letting them flow as freely as if they were a gentle drizzle to the soil below.

An umpteenth moment of silence passed once more, broken only by Cynthia’s sobs. Red merely stared at her as she finished her story. As much as Cynthia had not expected Red's personal tale, Red, too, did not anticipate Cynthia's to be that similar to his own, how her parents had passed away tragically to the scorching fate of death, and how she was far younger than he was when the tragedy happened, no less. He could only imagine how sorrowful the incident meant to her at such an age, and how hard it must have been for her to harbour such a past. Red’s Espeon no longer held the vigilant glare it had maintained throughout their conversation, a slightly despondent gaze eyeing its Trainer, whose own gaze now defied its own sorrowful look.

“It wasn’t your fault,” He said. “If you hadn’t taken your sister with you, she would have been lost along with your parents.”

“It wasn’t yours either,” She countered. “Perhaps it was necessary for you to stop them, even if it needed such extremes. If you had spared them, more of those whom you care about would have been hurt.”

“I didn’t need to go that far...I didn’t need to take all those lives I did…”

“Then know that even if you can’t reverse what you’ve done,” Cynthia said, reaching out her hand. “You still need to move on. There are others that still value you and care for you. Others like…”

“Cynthia…that’s not just—”

“Shh…” She said. “Let the bad things of the past stay where they are…though I will admit that I do feel that a burden’s been lifted from me by telling you of this…”

Red could not finish his previous statement, but his mind did not focus on it. Somehow, he found himself incapable of pressing on, if only to spare her from any more moments of sadness she was experiencing, sadness that he had wrought with his own hands. He understood what she meant as he stared back at her, noticing his own reflection in her gray eyes; it was a responsibility he was now given, an extreme importance in that he would not tell anyone of her dark past, perhaps as much as he hoped she would tell no one else of his.

“I shan’t tell a soul...I promise.”

“Nor will I,” She replied, equally softly. It was only fair for her to keep his secret to herself as well. “Keeping it in must have been difficult. I’m sorry I didn’t understand…”

“I thought it was best that I hid it from you. Though maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t.”

“See? It’s not all bad, is it?” Cynthia managed a smile, glad that she’d manage to convince him of something. “Sometimes it can be a relief for two people to exchange their demons deep down. That said, I’m glad that we’ve got to understand what happened to us after all these years, even if they weren’t the most promising news…” Cynthia suddenly felt her senses leave her for a moment, losing all semblance of sight and sound; before she could fall to the ground, however, Red quickly received her within his own body, something that immediately shook all the haziness out of her senses.

“Are you okay?” Red asked, his voice seemingly more audible than the many other instances he’d spoken that day.

Her heart lept in her chest at Red’s gesture, as she regained her footing and separated from Red. It was the first time she had touched him again after so long, especially under such a sudden, close proximity; she could feel the difference even through that fleeting moment, feeling how strong he’d become since they last met.

“I’m sorry…I’ve just…had a long day, that’s all.” Her face was flushed, but one could not tell if the red on her face came from how she just recovered from crying, or if she was blushing at Red’s gesture.

“Let me take you back, then.” Red said, sending out his Charizard. The Flame Pokemon growled as if to greet Cynthia at meeting her once again, to which Cynthia replied with a simple nod.

The sound of an airplane suddenly soared through the night sky, a visible light soaring above them. Cynthia knew that the aircraft was destined for her, and she needed to head back to them quickly.

“…Skyla’s here,” She said. Her voice held a tinge of disappointment that their time together was cut short. “She was the one who brought me here. And I think it’s best I went back now.”

“I see. I guess...this is where we part ways.”

“Wait,” Years of being away for him had given her such a fear for when he left her. It had been long since their last goodbye, and far longer since their promise with one another…and who knows how much time would pass before there would be another hello between them. She sensed that even with their kindred conversation, it would not change anything, fearing that it would be yet again another finality in her interaction with him.

“Will I…be able to talk to you again?”

There was a moment’s silence and hope, and in time, Red’s answer then came with an unexpected gesture.

“If you’re alright with it,” Red said after placing his jacket upon her, perhaps knowing that Cynthia was getting colder despite her thick attire. “I…won’t deny you.” There was hesitation in the final statement.

The gesture was really sweet of him, one that told her that he’d willingly given her the opportunity to talk to him again if she so desired; the cold of the night was suddenly so foreign to her, calmed even more by the warmth that came with the jacket and the thought of the gesture.

“Aren’t you cold?” She asked.

“I’ve _ enjoyed  _ far worse,” He said. “This is nothing.”

_ Enjoyed.  _ It was a term she did not expect him to use, a term that she could not comprehend for the bitter cold that stood at the peak of the mountain he lived in, away with people even as he shared his Pokemon’s company…and perhaps those upon the mountain itself.

If to be cold was to be loved by him, could she…

“Go,” Her thought was interrupted by Red, who spurred her to quickly return, for the night awaited no one. “It’s not safe here at night.”

“Alright. Thank you. Thank you, Red…I’ll return this to you, I promise. And I really hope we’ll get to spend time together again. I really do…” With that final statement and giving him a smile she hoped rivalled that of her own when she last parted with him as a child, she hurried toward the entrance of the cavern she arrived from.

She suddenly stopped; part of her felt as if that it couldn’t all end there just yet. There was just one last thing she wanted to ask…

“Red?”

The moment she turned, he was already gone; not a trace remained, not even a puff of smoke or grass to signify that he had flown away, and his disappearance had been as soundless as it was ominous. There was a momentary surprise, knowing that it took great skill to be able to fly at such silence. Or was it her own fluttering feelings following his meeting with him that had drowned out these otherwise detectable sensations? She turned to the sky, and she could see a silhouette flying in the distance, signifying that he had indeed gone off not long before she had turned away.

The sensation still remained in her stomach, unfettering even as she sprinted toward where she first landed with Skyla; her face felt warm amidst the bitter cold of the Chasm, intensified by the night as the last traces of orange had long disappeared from the sky, welcoming the calming embrace of the moon and its silvery light. And it was amidst the frigid and the dark night that she had felt some semblance of warmth from him even as the cold touch of his fingers had first caressed her; her fingers quivered as if to assess the previous sensation, now slightly warmer than it was then the first frigid taste of his fingers that she’d had the chance to experience. Even through the fuzziness, however, she could feel something twist in her chest at the way he’d disappeared so quickly, even with the parting gift he’d left her that gave her the hope that she’d see him again.

Leaving such thoughts behind, she disappeared into the darkness of the cave, leaving the center of the Chasm in a truest silence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I am SO sorry for the delay. I've been sick with the flu and overwhelmed with assignments for the semester, but here it is. I'm not sure if I've managed to execute this chapter well from the original, but please let me know of your thoughts. Might need some editing, but I've fairly confident with it at its present iteration. Thank you for being patient with me and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Also, you guys may want to look back at the prologue, where I've added a shiny new art commissioned by Silif! I was really satisfied with the way that piece turned out, and I hope it adds to your enjoyment of the fic.
> 
> Look forward to more!


	5. Chapter 4: Cast a Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning of the Pokemon World Tournament ensues. Red's debut in his attempt for another Champion title starts with an unorthodox choice, but that's not the only thing that happens to unsettle the crowd...

**Earth and Sky Chapter 4: Cast a Shadow**  

“Well, I suppose you’re feeling quite relieved that you’ve managed to find him yesterday, right?”

Caitlin took a sip of the tea Darach had prepared for her on the dining table. She was now sharing breakfast prepared by Darach and Jervis with Cynthia and Cassandra in her villa, and Caitlin’s immediate starting topic for the day had been about Cynthia’s meeting with Red the previous night. The Psychic-type Trainer was admittedly surprised at how her friend had gone off to look for him the previous evening, and although Cynthia had to illustrate the details to her, a certain something the Sinnoh Champion had brought back suggested that the meeting went along well.

“And to think he’d go as far as to give you his jacket… that’s unexpected.”

Cynthia simply nodded in response, looking evidently more cheerful than she’d been compared to when she’d first revealed Red’s history to Shauntal. Taking a bite into her buttered toast, Cynthia remembered how Elesa and Skyla had smothered her with many presumptuous questions about the previous night when they shared dinner in a restaurant in Nimbasa; their curiosity over her meeting with Red was such that it took them almost half an hour before they actually dug into dinner, even as the food arrived before them. Cynthia had simply composedly replied that she’d found the Chasm a lot colder that she’d expected, and that Red had simply offered it to her in an act of courtesy. 

Deep down, however, she knew that Red had offered her his jacket not out of courtesy alone; it was a link he’d given to her, something that reassured her that they would meet again when she’d feared that he would disappear into the ravines of time once more and leave her wondering when he’d appear before her again. And then there was the moment when she’d managed to touch him anew, and how she’d tasted the warmth she’d felt from him once more dating all those years ago that night, despite how cold she’d initially remembered him—how cold he’d _grown_ to be—and how she had learnt the terrible reasons that resulted in his perceived callousness.

“Hello? Sis? Earth to Cynthia?”

Cassandra’s somewhat sly voice caught her sister’s attention, and before Cynthia had realized it, the slice of toast she was nibbling at was already more than half finished. Cynthia cursed herself for being distracted yet again and quickly apologized. “Oh! I’m sorry, I was just…”

“Thinking about Red again, we know.” Cassandra giggled, “I’ve never seen you so… obsessed with someone, sis.”

“I think it’s about time I’ve asked you that question, though I imagine Elesa and Skyla might have already. You have a thing for him, don’t you?” Caitlin asked. The question caused both Jervis and Darach to dart toward Cynthia’s direction even as they busied themselves in the nearby kitchen, a sign that they too were curious if it was true. 

The inevitable question was merely one of the many ways she’d questioned her own feelings toward Red after so many years. Even yesterday, she knew that the fluttering feeling within her as he gave her the jacket did not come from mere sentimentality, a feeling she knew she’d only ever felt when it came to him. She was surprised at herself for how vividly she’d remembered everything about that night, the way she fell and felt the way he’d changed from when she’d last hugged him when they were kids; strong, assuring, even after the things he’d said to her…

There was an attachment to him, an attachment of him as the past she’d once lost, but in him she also saw the past fade in him, how different he’d become. Even if he hadn’t changed, would the Red she’d admired from back then be interested in love at all? She remembered how Red attributed his strength to his solitude, to how he had no commitment or duties that came with society and interaction, and she knew that Red valued that strength, perhaps more than anything else. That said, would he find it—find _her_ —a hindrance to his own interests if she truly wanted to advance their relationship to the next level… whatever it was at the moment?

“I don’t know,” She mustered. “It’s not something that one meeting alone can decide, but I think I’ll let things progress as they go along.” Caitlin could tell from the look in her eyes that she was scared again, scared of losing more people to the past, with Red being one of her final links to the times she treasured, and how she could very well lose him given the way he was. Nevertheless, she would not press her or remind her of such things now.

The mischievous expression on Cassandra’s face waned as she observed her sister’s expressions, before it was Caitlin who then spoke.

“I’ll leave it at that. We’ll have that conversation later. You don’t know if it’s love until you bond with the person more, after all, and I can imagine how difficult it can be to bond with, well... Red of all people, at least. I also think it’d be best if you’d keep the whole jacket thing discreet,” Caitlin advised, “If Elesa and Skyla didn’t spare you, I doubt the tabloids and the public would if they’d discovered you of all people have his jacket.”

Of course, that she knew full well. She didn’t need a headline featuring how close they were seemingly getting… how close she wanted them to get, at least, bothering both her and him, especially amidst the business of the Pokemon World Tournament.

“Our first round happens in several hours,” Caitlin walked toward her room, presumably to get changed. “I suppose we have enough time to warm up for a bit, though maybe we should work on our aesthetic, as well. It’s a rated battle, after all, quite similar to a contest battle, so there’s more to wowing the crowd than simply winning against your opponent this time.”

“I agree,” she said. She would put her mind off their meeting for now and focus on the first match. Perhaps performing well in the tournament itself would be another catalyst to him, even if she herself didn’t realize it. “Let’s get dressed, Cassandra,” She said, feeling grateful about the Contest Battles that were held in Sinnoh, and how her experience with them would definitely prove useful in the first round of the tournament.

* * *

Cynthia entered the waiting hall of the PWT facility, where Trainers who had just finished their battles were gathered. Cynthia had currently completed her first battle of the rated battles tournament, where she was pit against fellow Dragon-type Trainer Iris and won against her. Most familiar faces came into view waiting for the next announcement, while others moved in and out, some to perhaps witness the currently ensuing battles from the spectator’s seats.

A digital scoreboard stood in the corner of the room, divided into scores for Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members, and Champions; eyeing the current scoreboard that was alphabetically arranged, Cynthia looked at her score once more with a satisfied smile, having acquired 33 points out of 40 from the ratings with ten more given her win, putting her at 43 points; the longer time she’d taken for her match with Iris had cost her some of her time score, but she had performed well otherwise and felt satisfied over the outcome. The scores of the other champions were made out of thirties and forties, but Cynthia’s attention was particularly focused on Diantha’s score, with 45 points; the Kalos Champion appeared to possess the highest score among the Champions bracket with her victory against Professor Kukui, who she knew only by reputation as a Professor from Alola. Given the actress’ expertise in the field, there was no surprise from Cynthia that she performed well during the rated battles, and she was admittedly someone who she looked forward to sparring to more than the others.

She then noticed that Red and Wallace’s scores were blank; the two were matched together in the scoreboard that indicated that their battle was currently ensuing. Understandably, the authorities had decided to save the best for last during the first main event, for while Wallace was generally known to be the best at rated battles, pitting him against the most powerful Trainer known throughout the PWT would definitely prove an exciting challenge, a battle that she herself would like to spectate.

“Hello, Cynthia. It’s nice to see you again.” As Cynthia thoughts trailed first to Diantha and then the last battle of the day, the Kalos Champion herself had walked up to greet her.

“Diantha!” Pleasantly surprised, Cynthia hugged Diantha in response. The two bonded well together as Champions and were fairly close to one another due to this. “Congratulations on your win against Professor Kukui and taking the current leaderboard.”

“Thank you,” Diantha said, “Likewise, you did well against your battle with Iris. As much as I’m satisfied with my current performance, there’s still a lot ahead that we need to prepare for. I doubt I’ll be capable of keeping the lead as the battles progress.”

“Hello, ladies.” Blue suddenly arrived, a smug expression on his face. He’d won his first match against Steven with a 42 point victory, as the two Champions had decided to spar it out normally, leaving little room to grade for style and appeal. Steven’s affinity with Steel types and defensive Pokemon only served to affect Blue’s score slightly, but he didn’t seem to mind overall.

The two Champions nodded toward the Kanto Champion. Diantha in particular was more familiar with Blue, as the two shared the same mentor when they were young, under Master Gurkinn from Kalos, who was a specialist in Mega Evolution. 

"It's been a while, Blue." Cynthia's interactions with him were somewhat limited, but she also presumed that he remained Red's closest friend, just like he seemed to be during their childhood. It might be beneficial for her to interact with him as such, and understand what it took to earn that level of closeness or interact with him. She hesitated slightly when the thought went through her mind, but she didn't let it show from her own expression. "Congratulations on your win."

"It was mostly just warm-up," He said. "I got a tip that our next battle's going to be more standardized. I hope I get to battle seriously by then."

"You're still obsessed over beating Red, aren't you?" Diantha chuckled. Most knew Blue as the number one rival to Red, but even after all those years, he'd found himself second to him through and through. "Then again, I guess you have the same idea too, Cynthia."

"Of course," Cynthia, too, wanted to defeat him, and in a manner that allowed both of them to show their true strength. Whether the battle would come sooner or later, and regardless of the reasons behind it—be it for the achievement that all aspiring competitive Trainers wanted, or for the sentimentality she shared with the World Champion himself—she was determined to make it work. "I will admit I'm looking forward to sparring with him some time in the tournament."

“If anyone’s going to be defeating him this year, it’s going to be me.” Blue said, a cocky smile on his face. “I suggest the two of you perform well if you want to beat me to it.”

Cynthia and Diantha smiled at Blue’s challenging statement, knowing that defeating Red was a feat anyone among the Champions wanted to achieve, and the two were determined to rival Blue in achieving that goal. 

“Look,” Diantha exclaimed, pointing above. “Red and Wallace's battle is about to start.”

The screen hung on the ceiling was now broadcasting Red and Wallace’s battle live, and the three stopped their conversation to pay attention to the battle. Cynthia’s attention was momentarily drawn to Red, noticing that he was wearing another jacket that was different from the one he had lent her last night. It appeared to be thicker, with only a button binding the break line together, exposing his black undershirt beneath. The sight caused her cheeks to pink slightly as she remembered the intimate event of the previous evening, but she quickly shook the thought away, wanting to focus on the battle that was about to begin. 

The procedures were already ensuing as Wallace appeared to have placed no other terms of the battle, and on his side of the field was a burly, amphibian Pokemon—it was his Swampert, though it looked different from a usual Swampert, with its arm much more muscular and its size slightly larger. The three Champions paid close attention and realized that Wallace possessed a Mega Stone on his bracelet;

“Wallace’s choice of Pokemon is his Swampert! What will be Red’s response?” A wave of anticipation wafted through all who were watching as they awaited Red’s answer, which came after a moment of Red’s thoughtful selection.

Releasing his Pokemon, Red sent out his choice Pokemon for the day; the Pokemon was an electric-type with a yellow mane and blue bodice, and on its neck was a collar that held another peculiar stone that possessed the same coloration of the Lightning Pokemon.

The crowd went silent at Red’s choice of Pokemon before some odd murmurs and questionable voices came out, and even the commentator struggled to find anything to say at Red’s choice of Pokemon—it was a Manectric.  

* * *

 A group of people in lab coats were seated in a corner near the far end of the main hall. The Professors of several regions had gathered at the Pokemon World Tournament this year, having been invited to spectate the Pokemon World Tournament, as well as become the honorary judges for several of the Pokemon World Tournament’s matches, most significantly the final round of the tournament that would take place in around two months’ time. The famous figures were relaxing while chatting amongst each other; amongst the notable figures with Professor Sycamore, Professor Ivy, Professor Juniper, as well as Cynthia’s grandmother, Professor Carolina. She had arrived at Unova separately from the jet Cynthia and her fellow colleagues did, for she had unfinished business in Sinnoh and had just arrived earlier.

The Professors had been commentating on Professor Kukui’s battle against Diantha that had finished several minutes ago and had shifted into more idle chatter after the battle; the Alolan Professor was absent from the pomposity of professors as he had been invited as a challenger for the Champion’s bracket, to which he had been pit against the Kalos Champion and lost. As the professors remained deep in conversation, Professor Rowan suddenly directed a question toward Professor Oak, Kanto’s native Professor.

“Why haven’t you participated in the tournament this year, Samuel?” Professor Rowan asked. “I heard that you got an invitation much like Professor Kukui had, but you declined.”

The eyes of the Professors all turned to Professor Oak at Professor Rowan’s question, one whose answer they were eager to get; despite Professor Oak’s fame as out of the founding fathers of modern Pokemon research, the Professors also knew all too well that Professor Oak was also a skilled battler in his prime, and he was also the grandfather of Blue, another powerful Champion whose skills were deemed rival to even the legendary Red himself.

The Professor shook his head in humility, laughing awkwardly. “You know that this isn’t my generation. It’s that of our new generation. Even if I were to enter the tournament, I doubt I’d perform well.”

Before Professor Oak could finish, the TV in the hall reported the live caption of Red and Wallace's battle that was about to begin. All the Professors collected the news with slight anticipation, before Professor Oak suddenly picked up the news of Red using a Manectric against Wallace.

Professor Oak spat out his drink and coughed upon hearing the news. "Did he just say Manectric?" Professor Oak quickly turned to the TV, the sight of Red and the yellow-maned Discharge Pokemon convincing him that it was true.

"Ah, Red's having his match, isn't he." Professor Carolina smiled as he examined the battle unfold from the TV. The Sinnoh Professor couldn’t help but wonder if the World Champion was the same little boy who had rescued her granddaughter all those years ago, and wondered if Cynthia herself had done anything to confirm it.

 _This wasn't good,_ Professor Oak thought. _What in the history of Pokemon was Red thinking? He knows that he—_

"As the first year in PWT History with Trainers utilizing Mega Evolutions, I wonder what we can expect to see! Will Wallace be able to emerge victorious, or will Red claim the battle instead?" The referee’s voice rang through the screen. Many people in the hall became really excited, some even hurrying to the registration booth to purchase tickets to spectate the battle live from the arena.

“That’s a surprise,” Professor Sycamore began to watch the battle observantly. A Mega Evolution against a Pokemon without one, and a type disadvantage, no less? Even for Red, it was a poor choice in itself. “Why pick a Manectric against a Mega Swampert?”

"Do you know why Red might be doing—" Professor Juniper’s attention was fixed on the broadcasting screen as she asked that question before she then turned beside her to address Professor Oak, only to realize that the Kanto Professor was no longer there. "Wait, where did Professor Oak go?"

* * *

“What the heck do you think you’re doing, _damn it!”_

Blue’s words came in an abrupt yell, one loud enough to draw the attention of almost everyone in the waiting room. Cynthia and Diantha gave off puzzled, slightly started looks at the Kanto Champion’s sudden outburst, much like most of the others did.

“Um… are you alright, Blue?” Diantha asked, after a noncommittal pause. “You didn’t have to yell…”

Blue suddenly snapped out from losing his head in realization. He paused about his sudden behaviour and turned away awkwardly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. 

“Forget I did that,” He murmured. “Sorry. I’m going to watch the battle up front.” With that, he quickly hustled out of the room, as most Trainers who remained in the room were left with puzzlement about why Blue behaved in such a manner.

“That was… unexpected,” Cynthia couldn't understand what had happened either. “I know Manectric isn’t a Pokemon Red would typically use and it’s a poor choice for this scenario, but did he have to react that way?”

“I don’t know,” Diantha said, “Maybe he just thinks Red isn’t taking this seriously. No one would enjoy it if Red of all people were to lose off an uncharacteristic decision. I don’t think we should miss this one regardless, though, should we? Sure, Wallace might be the best of us when it comes to rated battles, but this is Red we’re talking about. And even with this…very unusual pick of his, surely he’s bound to have something up his sleeve.”

“I guess you’re right,” The excitement over watching Red’s battle suddenly faded due to the way Blue reacted, but she decided not to let it bother her as she followed Diantha out of the hall to spectate the battle from the main stage. 

* * *

 Outside the main stage, the battle had officially begun. 

 _"Let the battle begin!"_ The referee declared.

"Swampert," Wallace gave the first command. "Use Rain Dance!"

The Mud Fish Pokemon let off a deafening screech towards the heavens. In time, the thunderclouds in the sky began pouring a harsh storm below the battlefield, thunder and lightning clashing along with the countless raindrops, dampening the floor where the two Pokemon stood.

"Wallace, the elegant Water Trainer, decides to lead with Rain Dance! As expected of one of the most renowned Champions and contest battlers throughout the region! How will the rain affect the tides of battle?"

"Now, use Earthquake!"

Wallace’s Swampert leapt above the battlefield, before descending with its muscular arms slamming against the ground, cracking the earth and sending powerful, threatening tremors towards its target.

"Use the walls. Wild Charge." Red instructed.

With a swift movement, the Discharge Pokemon nimbly leapt above the shaking earth, electrifying its body to a bright, radiant blue blur, running along the walls that formed the circular surroundings of the battle arena.

Despite Manectric's dodge, Wallace simply smiled; he wasn't planning to attack, at least not yet. He smiled as the rain began to collect upon the gaps that the quake had facilitated. He noticed Red's expression shift into one of solemn curiosity, as he raised a brow, hidden behind his spiky hair.

_"A fascinating command by Wallace! The rainwater pools on the gaps of the shuddered earth, forming pools and puddles across the craters! This seems an advantageous field for Wallace, but will Red manage to pull something out of his hat?"_

"The stage is now set." Wallace declared. "Waterfall, let's go!"

"Double Team."

Manectric immediately replicated multiple copies of itself before they each went on their own course across the battlefield, multiple flashes of blue leaping vigorously on the battlefield, skillfully avoiding Swampert's attacks.

"Thunder."

Manectric and its copies stopped momentarily. With an intimidating roar to the skies, Manectric called forth powerful strikes of lightning from above the battlefield, crashing like blades piercing the sullied earth, ear-splitting thunder crackling and echoing in the area. Despite the deafening atmosphere, the bolts of lightning burst like fireworks amidst a watery snow of confetti; the spectacle was a beautiful one despite the circumstances, and the crowd began to marvel at the two Trainers’ battle for dominance over the terrain.

"Lightning, lightning, and lightning!" The referee announced. "With unseeable movements, Manectric encircles the field in a shocking, explosive fury! Even the resistant Swampert finds itself appalled over the swift, undodgeable attack! What does our three-year champion have up his sleeve this time?"

* * *

 Cynthia and Diantha were now spectating the battle at the VIP spectator seats reserved for the challengers of the PWT. Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members and Champions were all seated there. Curiously, Cynthia noticed that Blue wasn’t present despite leaving earlier than the two of them, but she paid it no mind and focused on Red’s battle.

"What’s Red doing?” Candice, the Snowpoint City Leader, asked this out loud as she stood up from her seat right next to Cynthia's. “Is he trying to stall out the battle since it’s game over because it’s an Electric-type versus a Ground type? And he hasn’t even Mega Evolved it yet, too!”

“No,” It was Volkner, the Sunyshore Gym Leader, who next spoke. “I think he’s planning something.”

“I agree with Volkner,” Diantha said. She’d observed the battle thoroughly, and was impressed by how Red had been keeping pace with Wallace even when playing at the Water-type Trainer’s own terms. “Don’t you find it surprising how Manectric’s keeping pace with Mega Swampert even under the effects of Swift Swim?”

“Red’s taking advantage of Lightningrod," The Electric-type Gym Leader clarified for his fellow Sinnohan Gym Leader. "Manectric is a Pokemon that summons thunderclouds, and by virtue of this ability, can utilize electricity as a form of energy to increase strength and speed, as well as replenish health. This ability also gives stronger electric control overall. Most Electric-type Pokemon can naturally develop this trait without enough training and exposure, but having that ability makes this capability more potent and easier to develop. That’s why that Manectric’s getting stronger and faster as the battle’s progressing, even if it was just moving around without attacking. Electric-type Pokemon tend to generate power through movement, and Red was also taking advantage of Wallace’s Rain Dance, which did him the liberty of summoning natural thunderclouds in Manectric’s presence, giving it a natural resource of electrical energy for him to power up.”

“But what can he do with it, though?” Candice remained unconvinced. “Electric-type moves don’t work on Ground-types, especially one as big as that Swampert is.”

“Not necessarily. Electric-type moves can deal even the slightest damage to Ground-types if they’re powerful enough,” Cynthia said. She’d experienced this first hand against Volkner himself, where his Electric-type attacks could actually damage her most powerful Pokemon, even if only a little, which was a testament to how powerful they could be. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens next.”

 And Cynthia herself was definitely interested to see what Red could do, where he always seemed to have an answer for everything, where he always seemed so sure, be it back then when he battled her for the first time, or when he saved her when they were young.

* * *

"Don't give up! Just keep using Waterfall!" Wallace commanded, performing an elegant gesture.

The largePokemon continued relentlessly and at a high speed, charging and leaping from direction to direction, lashing itself wildly at the Discharge Pokemon and its copies. Using the pools of water it had created, it dived in and out, attacking from unpredictable angles. However, it only managed to hit a few copies as they faded, whereas the rest continued encircling the battlefield and enveloping everything with electricity. The shocking battlefield began to startle the immense Pokemon, the electric reaching the swamp-like pools of water that further strengthened it, as it panted slightly and growled, unhappy at the predicament it was now in.

"Magnificent! Blinding speed and an elegant display of electric sparks and water paths! The two speedy Pokemon now clash wonderfully! However, even with Swift Swim and Swampert's type advantage, Mega Swampert just can't keep up! Meanwhile, Manectric completely has the field to itself, despite Mega Swampert's forming of a swamp! How will Swampert react to Manectric now running circles around it?"

"Indeed. The stage has been set." Red repeated Wallace's sentence, barely detectable between the loud cheers of the spectators and the hissing of shocking electricity than enveloped the battlefield. His face gave off an unwavering, calm look, empty of a smile, an expression that remained even when he knew he had the upper hand in battling. Wallace raised a brow, his calm composure remaining. He wasn't one to be underestimated, and he would prove that to any opponent, even if his opponents was the strongest Pokemon battler in the tournament for the past few years. He wasn’t out of tricks just yet.

"Stone Edge!"

The Mud Fish Pokemon gave off another extravagant, powerful leap again, before smashing its beefy body upon the ground. Sharp, hardened structures of granite began to protrude from the earth, scattered around the battlefield. Some of the stones were immediately crushed by the flash of blue light speeding across the battlefield, resulting in the blue blur slowing down. Some of the images from Manectric's Double Team also began to disappear, as they were attacked by the sudden emergence of stones from Swampert's attack.

"A smart counterattack by Wallace, indeed! Albeit slightly, Wallace has withered down Red and Manectric with Stone Edge!"

Red knew that Manectric would be slowed down; not through the direct assault of the attack itself, but rather from the inevitable collision with every movement it made. One of the drawbacks of Red's strategy on Manectric was that it was only effective on a wider, more open space, even if the rain and water could conduct the electricity. Swampert's combination of attacks had tattered the battle landscape significantly, as the swampy areas and piles of debris made it difficult for Manectric to move freely, especially at such speed.

"Now, use Waterfall!" Noticing the opportunity, Wallace didn't hesitate to utilize it.

"Intercept with Return!”

The aqua-enveloped Swampert collided with a glowing tackle from Manectric, as the two powerful attacks resulted in a powerful explosion in the middle of the battlefield. The two Pokemon leaped from the middle back to their respective sides, only slightly hurt by the interception. However, Manectric began to stagger slightly. With the rain up and with the Mud Fish Pokemon's powerful physique, it was inevitable for a harsh blow to ensue even with Manectric's power, despite Swampert receiving a surprising amount of damage itself. Seeing Manectric's weakened form made Wallace flash a smile at Red, whose demeanor still remained calm.

"The two sides collide! Manectric meets Waterfall with a hyper-powered Return! Both sides seem to be on even footing, but Swampert's raw power means that Manectric has indeed taken a harsher beating! Does Red have a plan in mind taking Swampert head on after his flashy display?"

Red knew that he could try to take it head on in this situation. At the very least, Manectric now had enough power to fend off the otherwise brutal attack head on. A reckless move, but one with as little drawback as possible. Manectric grunted slightly as it regained its footing, still capable of battling despite the harsh blow earlier.

“I must say I’m impressed,” Wallace said, surprised that Red's Manectric had managed to take the hit head-on. “But we’re not done yet!”

As he said so, however, the rain that drizzled on the battlefield gradually softened, before the sky became clear. The duration of Rain Dance had ended, and the sun's piercing rays slit through the dark clouds and revealed the azure blue sky above the crowd.

"The rain has dissipated! How will this affect the tide of the battle, with a seemingly important advantage now gone for both sides?"

As the sun returned to the sky, it heralded Red's time to make his move, as Red flashed the ring on his finger as the energy of Mega Evolution flowed through the ring and linked with Red's Manectric;  it gave off a radiant roar as all else remained soundless and still, before its body became enveloped with a powerful burst of rainbow-colored energy.

Following the change, the Pokemon's yellow, tipped mane elongated to that of the shape of a large lightning bolt, two other head spikes protruding in place of the ear holes, the spiky visage of the evolved Pokemon making it look more intimidating and large. Its fine, white claws turned a sanguine red as the spiky, yellow fur on its blue legs also enlarged.

Everyone had been waiting for this moment. 

"Mega Evolution, everyone! Red has evolved his Manectric into Mega Manectric! How will Wallace respond against his newly empowered foe after a dance of water and thunder?”

At the tip of his tone, Wallace commanded a coordinated attack of his own, making his first strike after Manectric had Mega Evolved: “Use Earthquake, then Waterfall!"

Wallace’s Swampert stretched its muscular arms as if they were catapults while its body was shrouded in a torrential aura of water; even without Swift Swim's effect active, Wallace knew that his Swampert was still capable of matching Manectric's Speed. The Mud Fish Pokemon aimed itself at its currently unmoving, electrifying target, before it released its arms, the tremor it set off cracking the ground as it lunged itself upward with its Waterfall attack. With its Earthquake attack hitting the ground below and Swampert aiming for the air, both Pokemon Trainer were confident that there would be inevitable damage that came with the combined attacks. The Pokemon, now enveloped in water, lunged itself at an incredible speed towards Red’s Manectric with all its might, determined to strike the target.

However, the attacks were nowhere close to hitting their opponent; surprised looks spread across the spectators as Wallace’s piqued face became startled at his opponent’s speed, and one could detect the merest hint of a smile on Red’s typically aloof exterior.

Before anyone had realized it, the newly evolved Manectric was now right behind Swampert, inches above the Mud Fish Pokemon as it leapt in mid-air; the latter Pokemon widened its orange eyes in shock as it turned toward Electric Pokemon behind it, evidently surprised at its foe’s increased speed and the current situation they were in.

With a snap of the wrist from its Trainer, a devastating Thunder attack dropped onto the cracked ground; the force of the blow propelled Manectric straight toward its opponent with a final, devastating tackle at an unseeable speed. Using the opposing Pokemon’s own tactic against it, the force of the explosive thunderbolt amplified Manectric’s Return, and the overwhelming attack from the jagged Pokemon sent Swampert flying toward one of the surrounding walls, the impact causing a heavy dent in the concrete. As the smoke from the aftermath of the attack cleared, Wallace’s Swampert stood lying on the floor in a faint, black and blue all over. An orange glow enveloped it as it reverted back to its normal form. Red's Manectric was still standing, covered in a few scrapes despite the attack.

A moment of silence passed; even the referee was stunned at the turn of events that had occurred, but he quickly composed himself rushed to examine the fallen Pokemon, before the verdict of the battle was announced. “Swampert is unable to battle. Manectric prevails! The winner is Red!”

Following the referee’s announcement, a thunderous applause followed from the audience at the end of the battle. No one was definitely privy of such a turn of events, but the way that Red had won that battle sent the entire stadium in an excited frenzy.

“Thus wins Red of Pallet Town—legend for a reason!” The commentator said, “Thus concludes today’s final match, with Red as the victor! And let’s see our rankings from our judges—” The commentator directed the crowd’s attention at a renowned panel of Contest Battle judges, who wrote their scores down on their boards and displayed them for all to see. “A 9 for time; a 10 for strategy; 9 for style, and a 9 for appeal! That also includes 10 for the win, for a total of 47 points! Red takes the leaderboard for the day! Kudos also goes to Wallace, who’s earned 36 points from that match for his own performance!”

* * *

 “I see,” Volkner stroked his chin in thought, surprised as much as he was fascinated following the end of Red's battle. “That’s what he was planning.”

“What do you mean?”

“Red was stalling out the battle until the rain would end, during which Manectric had accumulated maximum power and speed because of the naturally summoned thunderclouds, all the while gaining enough speed to match Mega Swampert’s Swift Swim and dodging most of its attacks. As Manectric loses its ability upon Mega Evolving, Red wanted to power up fully before he would begin Manectric’s attack, since its damaging move that would deal any meaningful damage to Swampert was Return. Their clash earlier was likely Red testing how much damage he could deal to Swampert, so it was wise for him to take the risk before committing to the all-out attack. I’m not sure if Red had planned this from the very beginning, but I must say it’s beyond impressive. A well-deserved win.”

“And he got as good as one can get on score, too.” Diantha commented. “Red did take a while to set everything up, but given the circumstances, the battle would’ve gotten a lot longer if he was just dodging everything, and he certainly wasn’t going to win the long game if he wanted to win by exhaustion. Red stuck to a plan from the beginning and stuck with it to the end.” Given the fact that it was a Manectric versus a Swampert, the fact that the battle ended with a calculated two-hit knockout in itself warranted an excellent time score, and the Kalos Champion could not find any room for disagreement in herself.

“Manectric was also fast enough even with Wallace’s Rain Dance to overcome even Swampert’s speed,” Candice came to a realization, “Without the rain and Manectric's increased Speed after Mega Evolving, it couldn't dodge that final attack. Did he plan this all along?”

“And here we all doubted him for a moment,” It was Lance, who was sitting from afar by himself, that said so. The Dragon-type Master was another long-time rival of Red's, but even he was visibly impressed by Red's performance today.  “He never ceases to amaze, doesn’t he? I guess he didn’t win three consecutive titles for show. Now you can never be certain it’s over until it’s over.”

“That’s the strongest Trainer in the world for you,” Candice said. Her expression was different from the lively one the Snowpoint City Gym Leader typically wore on her face, one that was deep in thought about the battle. “Still, don’t you guys think it’s weird?”

“What’s weird?” Diantha asked.

“That Red is using a _Manectric_ , of all things?” Candice asked. “Apart from the fact that Red’s supposed to be only using Kanto and Johto Pokemon, if Red wanted to use an Electric-type, wouldn’t his Pikachu be better? In fact, where _is_ his Pikachu? Wasn’t that Pikachu all the rage when it came to Red’s Electric-types? Having beaten burly Ground-types all on its own and everything? He used to shoulder him on his sleeve all the time. Don’t tell me he’s ditched the little rodent for this Manectric.”

“Beats me,” Iris said, realizing that Candice’s question had merit. “Maybe he’s just keeping his strongest cards to himself. If he’s actually already that good with a Pokemon that’s not as new, who knows what he can pull off when he uses a Pokemon he’s more confident with.”

Cynthia smiled upon seeing Red win the match; it was a moment's happiness, genuine from the Sinnoh Champion that Red had achieved the impossible when the world doubted him for a moment, and such feats were what made her look up to him so much. Even so, her joy suddenly shifted to doubt as she also noticed the difference in the way Red battled today and when he usually battled, at least to her own knowledge; Red typically did not require verbal orders to his Pokemon, and the fact that he did meant that his Manectric was a fairly new acquisition over his older, more powerful Pokemon, but one would surmise that he didn’t want to play all his cards just yet, and was merely testing the waters. Candice's own question was also a fair merit, wondering why Red would use another Electric-type Pokemon over his famous Pikachu. She doubted that Red would release it, given that he was a caring Trainer known to be very close with his Pokemon, and the powerful damage from his Manectric's Return convinced her that he raised them well. Whatever the reason was, she suddenly found herself incapable of reconciling with being happy for him after that thought, as everything that had occurred involving Red's battle seemed to be growing stranger and stranger...

* * *

Following the battle, Wallace walked up to his victorious opponent and politely extended a hand. The Sootopolian Trainer was as impressed as anyone else was by the way Red had defeated him in battle, especially given that he had bested him in both strength and style.

"A magnificent display," Wallace said, a satisfied smile on his face. "I can't say I'm upset at all at this loss. You've bested me on both ends rightfully so, and I give you my kudos."

Red took his opponent's hand in response and nodded. "Thank you," was all he said, and Wallace did not extend the conversation further, understanding the Kanto-native's silent tendencies. 

“Oh wow! Uncle Wall!” A feminine voice suddenly spoke up, and a disguised spectator suddenly leapt from the crowd and onto the stage. Before anyone could interject her, however, the disguised girl suddenly revealed herself, dressed in a recognizable outfit of blue and white with cloud-like frills on her outfit, an iconic hairpin on her stylish, turquoise hair that was the same color as Wallace’s, suggesting the two were related. The crowd suddenly erupted into cheer and murmuring among realizing who the girl was.

"It's Lisia!"  Many fans in the crowd chanted her name in a jubilant, excited frenzy, as if to welcome the Hoenn-native idol to the Pokemon World Tournament. She was extremely popular, and her feats and achievements in the Contest world rivalled even that of Red’s illustrious career as the world’s strongest Trainer.

“Ah, a stowaway.” Wallace said, giving his niece a wry smile. “I suspected as much when your mother called me earlier. She definitely wasn’t pleased with me… or with you.”

She playfully stuck out her tongue and pretended to knock herself on the head in response, earning a resigned chuckle from her uncle. “And I’m glad I did!” 

Sparkly eyed, Lisia then turned her attention to Red as she giggled while circling around him enthusiastically, evidently dazzled by his performance against Wallace, the latter of whom had been her mentor in Contest battling before she’d flourished on her own in the field. She’d always held Wallace in high regard and had come to the PWT to witness how he’d perform against the best of the best, especially given how it would be a highlight of all highlights for the year. She’d eyed various battles that day in search of new talents, but her uncle’s battle against Red had the battle she had anticipated the most, and she was more than pleased with what she was allowed to witness. She’d never expected to have found someone better and stronger, someone who she’d only heard in whispers, now standing before her as none other than the strongest Trainer, and possibly the strongest contest battler himself.

“It’s such an honor to meet someone as famous as yourself, Red! And the way you shone out there with your Manectric was just…Mmmm…! It was just so cool—so cool—I want to see it again! Oh, please, Red, do grant me just one request! It’s always been my dream to search for an ever greater star out there in the world, and what greater star than the king of the battling world who’s just beat my very own mentor in style! Please do me the honor of a contest battle with me? Pleeease!”

The crowd cheered on in support of Lisia’s proposal. Yet again, another exciting battle between two of the best was to unfold, this time between the world’s strongest Trainer and the world’s most adored contest idol, and it would definitely prove to be a treat to watch. 

“What will it be, Red?” Lisia asked, taking Red’s hand into her own. “Come on, let’s have some fun! Dazzle me!”

“ _No_ . He won’t be battling _any_ further today.”

 A sudden voice disagreed with Lisia's request ahead of Red; it was Blue, who suddenly ran up to the battlefield to meet up with Red, clutching the World Champion’s left shoulder the moment he arrived.

 “ _What in the world did you think you were doing here?”_ Blue’s words came out through gritted teeth, at a volume that only he could hear amidst the cheer and murmuring of the voracious crowd. “You need to get out of here. _Now_.”

“What’s the matter?” Lisia asked, puzzled. “Why can’t he battle any further today?”

“He can’t battle any more today. The rules say that any participant can only battle once today, and that’s that.”

“But why not? It’d be just one teensy little battle, wouldn’t it! It wouldn’t add to his score and it’d only be a display battle!”

The crowd suddenly went into disarray at the conflict, the initial excitement and cheer turning into confusion and dissatisfaction, murmuring noises scattered amongst the massive wave of surrounding people.

“Don’t be spoiled, Lisia. I know full well you’re used to getting your way, but I’m sure there’s a good reason why Red shouldn’t battle any further today. You could always ask him some other time.” 

“Pleeeease? It’s not every day I get my heart pounding like that, and I just absolutely _can’t_ lose this feeling now! It just wouldn’t be the same if we did it later! It’s important to make the most of your feelings while they're still fresh. That's what makes Contest Battles all the more exciting! Am I right, everyone!"

Lisia was extremely popular, and it didn’t take long before she’d already won the heart of the crowd. Chants of "Accept the battle, Red!" and other similar voices resounded repetitively all around the stage, livened up even more after Lisia's speech.

“ _No_ ,” Blue said firmly, earning a silence from the crowd. He tugged Red by the hand and attempted to drag him out of the stage by force, like an angry older brother berating his younger sibling for something wrong he'd done. “Let’s go, Red.”

The crowd was evidently upset by the sudden turn of events, and the cheering turned into booing and other unsatisfied noises. Lisia herself frowned sadly at Blue's insistence of denying her chance at a battle with Red, but her pleading turquoise eyes were fixated at Red's own scarlet eyes amidst the noisy crowd. He had yet to say anything about his answer or gave away any expression that hinted at it, and she wouldn't take no for an answer unless Red himself said so. 

“I’ll do it.”

A silence followed after Red's answer, before a gleaming smile lit on Lisia’s face, and with it the excitement of the spectators returned once more. 

“Oh, Red," Her hands clasped on Red's hand once more, to which he did not resist, her grip tightening from her excitement. "I just knew you’d understand!”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Blue said, glaring at Red. 

“I did this to see if I could overcome it,” Red replied, a defiant look on his face, making sure that only Blue was within earshot. “I can’t stay like this forever, can I?”  

There was a pause from Red’s childhood friend at the statement; calming himself, he had to admit that at the very least, Red’s intentions had been just. Despite the risk he had taken, Red had indeed chosen a proper opponent to do what he’d done, even if he didn’t feel that this was the right time to do so. Then again, he also respected that an opportunity such as this would be hard to come by, and Red had thus made good use of it. 

Nevertheless, Blue respected Wallace’s abilities to battle against Red, especially given the Water-type Trainer’s previous type advantage, Lisia sparring against Red would be far too dangerous for the younger Trainer, especially after the first battle.

“You have no measure of that,” He advised, after a heavy sigh. He wanted to have faith in him, but a part of him was still worried about the idea of accepting the battle, especially given that it would be a second, consecutive battle after the initial risk Red had taken during the first. “I can’t say I can stop this whole angry mob all by myself, though.”

“I’ll do my best to make sure nothing goes wrong.”

“Fair enough. But I _really_ hope you won’t regret this,” Blue's eyes met Red's for a moment, as if to speak messages of their own. “Make sure she—no one—gets hurt.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Red!” Lisia said, shaking his hands with her own, looking as if she could leap into the air at any moment. Finally given the opportunity she wanted despite the initial resistance, Lisia also made do to thank the crowd that had given her the support and strength to make this possible. “And I’d like to thank each and every one of you for supporting me and making this possible!”

"Red has agreed!" The commentator announced, and the crowd's cheer became twice as loud at the upcoming event. "After her uncle's defeat, the world-famous Contest Idol Lisia steps up to challenge the victor! This battle will not affect the score of the PWT, but it certainly is a treat for each and every one of you! Two consecutive contest battles by three giant names! Hold on to your seat belts, folks, because the fun has only just begun!”

Blue could clench his fist tighter in an attempt to quell his worry. He said nothing, only punching Red lightly on the back as he departed the stage for the battle to begin.

If Red ended up crossing the line, it would end in catastrophe...

* * *

 “This should be interesting,” Candice said, stroking her chin. “Or it’ll be a complete landslide win from Red, it’ll go either way. Lisia’s quite bold to challenge Red like that after the way he defeated Wallace. Still, what was that all about? Did Blue have to make a big fuss about the whole thing? Why not give the girl her fun and let her battle?”

“He also seemed mad about it when Red picked Manectric earlier,” Iris noted, remembering his behaviour from earlier. “But why?”

Cynthia’s attention abruptly shifted to Lance. He’d noticed that he’d lost a lot of his previous enthusiasm about the match after Blue had showed up, and she noticed him murmuring something amidst the discussion among the VIP spectators. 

“As I thought, _he’s still_ …”

“Hmm? Did you say something, Lance? Do you know something about all this?”

“Oh…n-no, it was nothing.” Lance said, stuttering slightly. “I was just thinking to myself, that’s all.”

Cynthia frowned, but let out a wry smile in understanding. She was still puzzled about the odd circumstances surrounding today’s battle; Red’s unusual choice of Pokemon, Blue’s behaviour, it all seemed to itch in her mind as she scrambled for explanations as to why all this was happening. Cynthia suddenly paused as she remembered their conversation the night before; that cold night where Cynthia had finished speaking of her own past, where Red had said something she now found significant only after she had processed the whole conversation.

_“Cynthia… that’s not just—”_

She remembered how she didn’t let him finish that night. Her own moment of vulnerability had stopped her from understanding the full picture, a picture that Red may have wanted to paint for her that night, the full extent of what happened to him. And then there was Lisia, the Hoenn-idol, and the way she so confidently cozied up to Red and took his hand as easily as her first meeting with him, and how Red hadn't resisted such an intimate gesture for a foreign meeting such as this, but how he had resisted _her_ when she'd tried to discover his scar last night. She found herself being unusually attentive about such a detail, and she found herself frowning yet again. 

Amidst the cheer and the noise of the crowded tournament, she found herself incapable of shaking off the indescribable feeling that pecked at her chest.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> REALLY sorry for yet another long delay. I'll be having my exams next week and I just finished my semester, so I've been really busy with a lot of work on my hands. After next week I'll have a break that'll let me write a lot more though, so hopefully I can to produce more work by then! As always, I appreciate the rates and reviews and hope you'll all continue to stick with me throughout working on Earth and Sky!


	6. Chapter 5: To Burn a Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the curtain rises on Lisia's challenge against the World Champion, an unexpected change occurs...

**Earth and Sky Chapter 5: To Burn a Star**

Blue returned to the other side of the elevated VIP seats; the panel was emptier than the opposite side where most of the other contestants were seated. His grandfather, Professor Oak, was already seated atop one of the seats, and the elderly man turned toward Blue as if he had expected his grandson’s arrival.   

“I thought you would have handled the situation more discreetly,” The Professor muttered as he noticed his grandson’s return. He didn’t sound particularly upset, but he’d hoped that Blue would’ve taken a wiser course of action. The Professor had awaited Blue’s return following the latter’s appearance on the stage to get a deeper understanding of the circumstances of Red’s battle at his own suggestion, and seemed surprised that he had attempted to stop the next battle out in the open.

“I doubt he would’ve listened to me if I’d tried to,” Blue retorted. “I’d say he was also feeling the pressure of the crowd like I was. Either way, I couldn’t stop him. I couldn’t stop _Lisia_ and the crowd, anyway. I doubt even you could convince a crowd like this, Gramps.” Against such an adored idol and her fervent desire to entertain both the crowd and herself, Blue doubted that anyone could get in the way of it, especially given how well Red had performed in his battle prior; such a fact was made certain only by how the crowd currently revelled in the festering excitement of the exhibition battle, the noise threatening to drown out even Blue’s own voice as they talked. 

“Even so, we’ve definitely raised suspicion now. I really don’t want any more people knowing about it.”

“And that’s not our fault exactly that if it’s going to happen, is it?” Blue said, irritated, though there was also concern evident on his face. He knew full well that it wasn’t wise to draw attention to the odd circumstances at present, but found the situation inevitable. “I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but it better be for a good reason.”

“What’s done is done. All we can do now is put our faith in him.”

“You’re surprisingly okay about all this,” Blue seemed surprised that his grandfather was calm despite the gravity of the situation. “Did I miss anything?”

“He deserves a second chance. He deserves to try and overcome what’s befallen him. And so far, everything seems to be fine.”

“I know,” Blue pouted, but found a rare opportunity to use one of his grandfather’s old words against him. “But what is it you always told us? That there’s a proper time and place for everything?”

“There was actually not a lot of reason for us to have stopped him initially,” Professor Oak said. While he had been surprised by Red’s decision to have battled like that in public and had quickly abandoned his rendezvous with the other Professors to analyze the situation, he didn’t trust Red enough to take care of himself, but more than that, the World Champion had not told him about it beforehand, and had even been training a non-native Pokemon so well behind his back. “Not for Wallace’s battle, at least. Everything in his previous battle had gone well; he ended it quickly and without fuss and showed no real symptoms throughout that battle, so it technically wasn’t a poor choice. He picked the right Pokemon and Trainer to play Manectric against, all things considered, and if all could end there, it would’ve been a noticeable improvement.”

Blue paused, unable to find any words to refute what his grandfather had said. He had to respect that Red at least had the proper rationale in mind when processing the circumstances of the battle, and even beyond the performance of the battle himself—even if only it was in terms of the reasons only a select few knew about—Red had executed the battle almost flawlessly.

“I’m not worried about Red as much as who he’s facing right now,” Blue said, still having his reservations. “I technically wouldn’t be that mad if someone like say, Lance was out there now. Well, maybe I’d _still_ be worried for him. For all his pride, even he knows he can’t take Red when he’s gets that serious. But this is Lisia we're talking about. I don’t know what that girl’s thinking challenging Red like that, but I don’t trust her to hold her own, not while Red’s in that state, anyway.”

Unbeknownst to anyone but the two, a danger hung upon the idol at her daring challenge against the World Champion—and both Oaks dared not think of the consequences if anything were to happen to her….

Without addressing Blue’s concern, Professor Oak recalled the last time he’d spoken to Red, the previous night when they’d all first arrived in Unova for the World Tournament. He’d advised him to take care of himself and to not push his limits, but he knew deep down that Red was stubborn at heart and preferred to do things his own way. He could only pray that the upcoming battle would proceed as smoothly as the first.  

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, the exhibition battle between Lisia and Red will commence!" The emcee announced enthusiastically, as the crowd went mad with hurrah and applause. A duel between two famous figures was a rare sight to behold, so everyone was especially excited, the cheers overpowering the loud echo of the referee's enthusiastic voice on the microphone. 

"Good luck, dear Lisia." Wallace patted his niece on the head encouragingly. "I'd really like to see this battle fully, but as I’ve said, your mother's apparently angry with me for you to have stowed away on this." He said sarcastically, but he held a bemused smile on his face. “I’ll have to explain how you’ve stowed away on our flight first before I can have a look.”

Lisia gave an awkward giggle, placing her hand on her head in slight embarrassment at her uncle's revelation. She would expect to be lectured by her mother later on for leaving their vacation spot without notice, remembering that she wouldn't be here if it weren't for Wallace. "Sorry about that, Uncle Wall! I’ll do my best.”

"Do go easy on my niece, would you, Red?" He turned to the Trainer in question and asked rhetorically before he departed. He knew full well that the battle was merely for show, but he hoped that Red wouldn’t go too far in his battle with her, knowing that the difference in skill and strength between the two was immense, but Lisia would not lose to Red in style. "I'm sure she's to offer you a fine battle, though."

“Yeah, Red! Let’s have some fun and put on a good show!”

Red simply nodded in response. As Wallace left the stage, all was set.

Lisia raised a hand as her star Pokemon, her Altaria called Ali, descended onto the stage. Lisia had been waiting to introduce her signature Pokemon on an international broadcast proper, as she was surrounded by flashes of cameras and lights upon summoning her Altaria. As the Humming Pokemon chirped jubilantly as if to greet everyone present in the stadium, the crowd chanted her Pokemon’s name just as they did hers as its arrival.

"Now, Ali, Mega Evolve!"

At Lisia's command and as she activated the Mega Tiara she adorned on her turquoise hair, Ali prepared itself for the evolution as the change began to occur. A rainbow-colored light surrounded the Altaria's fluffy, cloud-like plumage, as it began to grow amidst the shift in power, before a burst of energy revealed the changes. The Pokemon's tail feathers elongated into a wavy streamer, with three longer central plumes, the cloud-like plumage thickening into an iridescent sheen. It let out a bright, audible chirp as it successfully Mega Evolved, as the crowd broke into another array of cheer.

“So what will you be showing us all this time, Red? Will you be using something else this time?” She said, skipping around euphorically. “Oh, this is going to be exciting, to see the extent of what you can do…”

He’d wanted to withdraw Manectric; his Pokemon had fought a good fight and deserved rest, and his fingers were inches away from his Pokeball, ready to return it back.

Halfway through, however, there was a throbbing pain in his head, and he’d stopped moving his fingers.

It was not a conscious rationale, a flow of thought that came as if another person had taken over his mind entirely; something else had taken. His Pokemon could still battle, and there was plenty of power left in it, waiting to be unleashed at one eager to see the extent of what his Pokemon could do.

And before him seemed to be the perfect opportunity; this girl had suddenly appeared before her and issued a challenge. She had wanted to see more, and she certainly had the confidence that came with that challenge, and perhaps she would indeed prove a worthy opponent to bear witness to what he could do. She forced his hand even as there was a chance for her to withdraw, a chance she assuredly rejected, with the support of the crowd.

What reason was there to deny her what she so desired?

“No,” He returned his hand to his side, withdrawing his reach. “I’m continuing with Manectric.”

“Oh?” Lisia was surprised at Red’s choice, but remained excited nonetheless. “More tricks up your sleeve, huh? Well, you never really showed us how much Electric power you had in that when you fought Uncle Wall. This is gonna be SO exciting!’

* * *

The two Oaks had expected Red to use another Pokemon, ideally a Pokemon that he had trained for a long time and had a closer bond with, such as his Snorlax; such a choice would have put them at far more ease and convinced them that Red would have more restraint in the battle due to their greater trust in said Pokemon, but Red’s choice to maintain Manectric unsettled the both of them.

“Maybe he thinks it’ll be safer since Manectric’s already worn down,” Professor Oak said, trying to surmise the reasons behind Red’s decision. 

“No. He knows full well it’s still capable of fighting, even if he has to force it to.” The only real difference was that Blue knew that Manectric lost its Lightningrod ability upon Mega Evolving.

The change in Red’s demeanour also did not go unnoticed. They could see his face clench, his mechanical movements at a moment of thought where they’d assumed he wanted to change Pokemon just as he did. It was one of the first symptoms of the change they feared would occur on that very stage.

“That doesn’t look good either.” Professor Oak bit his lip. “You know it’s not just a risk to Lisia, Blue. There’s also—” Before he could finish, Professor Oak realized his grandson was no longer beside him and turned to see him departing from the seats and heading into the facility again.

Professor Oak raised a brow. “Where are you going?”

“Staying on guard.” Blue said, walking back into the interior of the facility. Someone had to be ready for the worst-case scenario. “In case he loses it.”

* * *

 "Let the battle commence!" The referee announced. 

Lisia made the first move. "Ali, use Dragon Pulse!"

As Lisia gave the command, her Altaria soared into the sky opened its gaping beak, charging a surge of multi-colored draconic energy consisting of blue, red and purple, before releasing the forceful, widespread pulse at its target. The blast of energy took the form of a dragon with its gaping mouth wide open, lunging to devour the target beneath it.

Red didn't respond. It only watched the Mega Manectric as if his eyes did the commanding for him, knowing that their views were the same as of that moment. The Discharge Pokemon sidestepped the attack at an incredible speed, much faster than with its battle with Wallace.

Lisia did not seem dissuaded, wanting to warm up first before engaging deeper into the battle. "Ali, Dragon Pulse aga—"

Lisia couldn't finish the command. She turned to see Red with his right index finger pointed at her Altaria, and his Manectric immediately lunged upward at the Mega Altaria before it had a chance to respond. The electric-enveloped body formed a Wild Charge attack as it smashed into the Humming Pokemon's soft body at an almost reckless speed. Despite appearances, however, the attack only managed to graze past Ali, barely landing a blow on the Pokemon's blue underbelly, as the avian Pokemon cried in pain over the speedy attack as it lost its balance momentarily and braced itself on the ground.

The crowd’s fervent cheer went silent at Manectric’s powerful attack—an attack that Lisia’s Mega Altaria resisted due to its Mega Evolution losing its Flying typing. Even the emcee found himself lost for words at the sudden attack. The battle was far from over, but the strength of that Wild Charge was rather frightening, and no one had expected the nature of the battle to escalate to such a fast, violent pace.

“Do you… still wish to continue?” There was a brief, almost pained pause between the otherwise callous words, spewed through gritted teeth.

Some keener eyes knew that Red had intentionally asked his Pokemon to hold back—just well enough to avoid a direct hit.  

It was a warning—and it didn’t take Blue and Professor Oak to recognize the meaning of his words.

Lisia was not about to back off of what she started, even in the face of such a powerful opponent. She had expected as much.

“Ali and I can still go on!” Lisia cried. “I challenged you to this, and I intend to see it through to the end! Use Ice Beam!”

A blue, icy line of energy issued from Ali's mouth, attempting to freeze its target; again, however, Red's Manectric simply evaded the attack without its Trainer having to direct it to, and a second hit of Manectric’s Wild Charge hit Lisia’s Mega Altaria again, and this time, the hit was a lot more direct as the previous attack, damaging the Dragon-type Pokemon by a fair amount despite the type ineffectiveness. 

 

Cynthia had observed the nature of both Wallace’s battle and Lisia’s current battle with Red. What was notable was the stark difference between the way Red battled between Lisia and her uncle Wallace despite some similarities; Red’s battle style had been to dodge the artful attacks of both Wallace and Lisia while preparing attacks of his own. In the previous battle, however, Red had simply planned ahead and dedicated his strategy to a singular knockout attack after facilitating favourable circumstances. Red was now battling the Hoenn idol as if he were a predator playing with his food, and without regard for the style he had shown in his first battle; his attacks no longer aimed to impress aesthetically, and instead were now coming out in calculating, slow and steady rounds, each gradually increasing in intensity.

It was a different strategy, and while she respected that Red had various ways to battle given his reputation, something felt off—it felt wrong of Red to act like this. It caused her to feel even more worried than before the battle even started, knowing that there was something concerning with the way Blue had attempted to stop this battle.

“This isn’t a Contest Battle anymore,” Candice said, appearing flabbergasted at how the battle was unfolding. She’d expected an entertaining and beautiful battle between the two, but Red was now dodging Lisia’s attempt at flashy attacks and wearing Lisia’s Pokemon down bit by bit. It was uncharacteristic. “The way he’s going through this battle is just too strange. But why? If he accepted it, then—”

"It’s not just that,” Diantha said, a tense expression on her face as she continued eyeing the battle. As someone who’d studied under Gurkinn, one of the Masters of Mega Evolution, she knew full well that Red’s Manectric was struggling to control itself. “Mega Evolution drives instinct to battle, and the longer it persists, the less reserved the Pokemon gets in a need to exhaust the energy gained from it. Lisia’s facing a Mega Evolution with the gloves off now, and you can see how that Manectric’s showing progressively less restraint. And I doubt this Manectric is a Pokemon he’s trained anywhere near as well as his primary Pokemon.”

“So Red's now commanding a freshly Mega Evolved Pokemon—” Candice gasped.

 _And in a state that no one would want to see him in,_ Lance thought.

* * *

Lisia assessed the situation of the battle, eyeing her Altaria and her opponent’s Pokemon; while Red had launched two hits on Ali already, Red’s Pokemon swayed slightly, partly from the battle with Wallace and through Wild Charge’s recoil. If Ali could land a reasonable hit on Manectric, it would likely result in her winning the battle, but she also wanted it to be a dazzling win, rather than a typical competitive win. At the same time, she had yet to see Red show her want she wanted to see, having only used simple moves and its speed against her, and she felt slightly unsatisfied about how Red was not taking her seriously.

She surmised that he wanted him to show him what she could do, and was trying to bring out the best in her.

And she would show him the best she could offer. 

“Use Mist!”

Ali took a deep breath, and then it spewed a cloud of white, vague substance that spread across the arena; it eventually settled into mist and made it difficult to see.

“Dazzling Gleam!”

Ali quickly followed with another flash of blinding, damaging, yet beautifully radiant, pink light, as if it were a light that would illuminate. For a moment, the scene was blinding even more so with how unclear everything was.

“Now, for our curtain call! Draco Meteor!”

Even as it was unleashing the Fairy-type attack from its body, Lisia’s Mega Altaria cried to the heavens as an orange light charged in its mouth, visible even from the mist; it then shot the orange sphere into the air as it split into a barrage of meteor-like projectiles that fell below. The mist cleared as if they were curtains rising on an astounding performance, and the bright light and the falling meteors that followed made for a picturesque scene; the attacks were as powerful as they were beautiful, however, and the attack spread across a wide radius that made it almost impossible to dodge. Faced with such a coordinated attack, many in the crowd supporting Lisia cried at the top of their voices, and even lesser fans gave off a thunderous applause at the endeavour.

“Impressive… unless, of course, you were trying to distract _me_.”

The audience’s enjoyment of the attack and their anticipation lasted for only a fleeting moment Red’s cold voice resounded amidst the cheer; the next sound and sight heard was a cry from Lisia’s Mega Altaria and the electrifying sound of yet another Wild Charge attack from Red’s Mega Manectric. The veil of light and smoke seemed to have done little to blind Altaria’s opponent at all, and the resulting attack sent the Humming Pokemon flying toward the adjacent wall, as the smoke cleared to reveal the assailant barely damaged, and Lisia in shock over the ensuing outcome.

* * *

Red’s counterattack stunned even those on the VIP seats.

“Impossible…” Diantha was in disbelief that Red had circumvented such an attack so effortlessly. “No one should’ve been able to see through such a blinding attack. But Red’s Manectric simply went through it unscathed. But how?”

“Was it a prediction?” Candice asked. It was possible that Red had to gamble for such an attack and had simply executed it successfully out of sheer luck.

“No,” Lance said. He did not seem to be surprised that Red did not feel distracted by the attack whatsoever. “Red definitely calculated this.”

“But how? Sure, maybe I could get him landing a hit on Altaria again, but he did that through Dazzling Gleam and Draco Meteor, two powerful attacks from a Mega Pokemon in their own right. Even if he wouldn’t be damaged by all that, he wouldn’t be able to see his target clearly with all that’s happening.” Candice said.

“That’s where you’re mistaken.” Lance replied. “I don’t know how he gets it. It’s just that that man’s eyesight is unreal. I can't even really explain it.”

One aspect that made Red such a good Trainer was his keen analysis of detail; and as a long-time battler against Red, Lance knew full well and was wary of what contributed to this—Red’s unusually powerful eyesight. He was able to see what the average Trainer could not, and he did not falter against simple tricks, something that often gave him an edge such as fellow Indigo Plateau colleague Koga, who often relied on deceptive tactics in his battles.

Cynthia, too, was alarmed by such an ability; while she would have understood the fact that he would have dodged the barrage of attacks Lisia had prepared, Red had simultaneously executed an attack straight through it. It was something she doubted she herself could do even with her own abilities. 

* * *

 _Already over?_ Red’s eyes seemed to say, and they held a disdain that few others had ever seen before. He appeared unimpressed by the display Lisia had displayed.

Lisia’s fans were not cheering and smiling for her like they usually did; she could not tell the crowd’s sudden silence came from what Red had did, or if it was the miserable performance that Lisia was demonstrating to the World Champion, even when seemingly at her best. She was losing a battle she had proposed, and the opponent she had come to admire so much through his battle with Wallace seemed to be unimpressed by her current performance. The very thought of all that together frustrated Lisia slightly; she hadn’t expected everything to take such a turn, for her to bring frowns instead of smiles on people’s faces. She had to change that.

She refused to show weakness before him.

“The way you went through our main act was simply amazing,” She began. “But I’m not about to bow out just yet! There’s still a lot the both of us can show this crowd! But I want you to fight me at your full power, Red!” It was the Hoenn idol’s  attempt at a bravado. “We can still fight!”

* * *

Lance abruptly placed a hand to his forehead at Lisia’s foolish challenge. While Lance was a powerful Trainer in his own right, he definitely knew something that those around him did not know about, and this did not go unnoticed by Cynthia.

“Lance, you know something about all this, don’t you?” Cynthia whispered, though she was at least respectful enough to not draw others’ attention to him. “What’s going on? Why is Red acting that way? Why did Blue want to avoid this battle?”

Lance addressed Cynthia with an appraising look for a few moments. Cynthia merely stared back patiently, knowing that it was understandable to hesitate on the truth of the matter. 

“Forgive me as I can’t really tell you,” Lance said, “All I can say is… this isn’t gonna be pretty. He’s completely lost it.”

* * *

The crowd awaited Red’s response to Lisia’s courageous front. Time stood still as Lisia defiantly stared at her opponent, who simply raised a brow at her proposition. His expression remained inscrutable amidst the veil of his cap and hair, and the dancing wind that ruffled his collar also left little traces of his already straight mouth visible to anyone.

Red’s Mega Manectric turned to its Trainer as if it were awaiting something; rage burned in the Pokemon from the energy from Mega Evolution, leaving little room for rationale. It wanted to fight at full power, to tire itself and unleash the there was a somewhat rebellious look in the Electric-type Pokemon’s eyes. It felt that Red's state at the moment was _wrong_ ; it just wasn't like him. It was until he noticed the cold, unwavering gaze in his scarlet eyes that it realized what had happened. It managed to hide a growl unnoticed from Red, knowing that in his current state of mind, he wasn't the understanding, amiable Trainer it adored and respected any longer. Disinclined as it was to follow him at his current condition, it had no choice. It anticipated that it would have to do things Red had long kept within it, things that it should not do unless the desperate had come to it.

The look in its Trainer’s eyes was more commanding than permissive for what he wanted the Pokemon to do next. The slightest inclination of the chin convinced his Manectric that the time had come.

 _Let her have it,_ his eyes seemed to say. _No mercy._

With a roar, Mega Manectric unleashed the accumulated power of the electricity it had stored during the previous battle; it unleashed a powerful, bursting aura towards its surroundings as it prepared its next attack. The excessively crackled, causing debris to break across the ground as it accumulated. In time, the electricity it had gathered blurred the Pokemon’s form such that it was unrecognizable, and only a beastly figure cloaked in blue electricity could be seen.

Red’s next gesture was the raise of his hand, not the point of a finger—it signified that he would pull no punches this time. A massive attack was coming, and Ali—as well as Lisia—were about to take the full brunt of it.

And while Lisia was definitely getting afraid—she nonetheless did her best to stay true to what she had started. “Be brave, Ali! Use Dazzling Gleam, full power!”

A deafening crash and a flash of light brighter than the Altaria’s Dazzling Gleam unfolded before the arena, and it didn’t even take a blink; the suddenness of the attack stopped Ali from charging the attack as it stood frozen in shock over the overwhelming light and sound, as a bolt of lightning flashed upon Manectric's location and it immediately disappeared from the battlefield, leaving only the blackened earth from the thunderbolt and another array of thunder.

“It’s…gone?”

“Lisia, look out!” Many fans in the crowd suddenly cried out in warning toward her, and Lisia quickly darted her head in all directions trying to make sense of what she was trying to avoid, and then she saw it, but only for a very short moment—

The opposing Pokemon was above her.

In the next moment, everyone was shocked to witness what Red’s Manectric was doing. It descended in an angular motion from above, dropping from the sky before dashing straight toward Ali and its Trainer at a dangerous speed. The Pokemon's entire body ignited with a veil of immense electrical energy that completely blurred its form to that of a lengthy, blue blade, the sharp edge of electricity threatening to impale through anything that stood in its path. The crackling of the powerful electricity and the force of the attack illuminated the stadium with a blinding, radiant blue glow that blurred the vision of everyone else in the arena.

Only Red's eyes were open amidst that blinding array of light; his gaze was unknowable, but he appeared to be struggling even as he eyed Manectric's attack attentively, even with his confidence and anticipation of the harsh collision that was to occur, the overwhelming victory that was to ensue.

Amidst such a helpless situation, Lisia could only shut her eyes and scream at the top of her voice; fearful of both herself and her Pokemon, the incoming attack seemed impossible to react to, as all motion and sound were only allowed but a second's transpiring. 

The sound of what seemed to be another lightning bolt clashing upon the ground resounded across the still arena. As the unseen collision ensued, smoke enveloped the stadium, blurring all in sight and suffocating all it enveloped, as some even had to brace themselves on their seats to cushion the massive force of the impact. The blue, blinding light faded, and everyone was now in deep anticipation to know what had happened after that devastating attack. Many were in a state of unparalleled shock at the attack Red had performed; paranoia and last-gap anticipation entered many as they anxiously awaited for the outcome.

The smoke cleared and the sky's stormy thunderclouds dissipated, revealing the clear afternoon sky. The crowd could not believe what was revealed next. Mega Manectric had disappeared again, but Lisia’s Altaria remained unharmed. It was pale and its eyes were wide as it shivered where it stood, however, nearly at the brink of fainting. In a moment, it reverted back into its normal form, as if the pressure from the imminent attack alone had caused all its energy to be drained away from it. While the Pokemon hadn't received any direct damage from the attack, the force of the incoming impact was more than enough to overwhelm it.

In front of the fallen Ali was a shield—a shield made by a rock-solid, armored Pokemon, a Rhyperior. Its humongous, beefy body blocked the Altaria entirely, its strong arms stretched out to brace the attack for the Pokemon and its young Trainer. The originally bold expression on its face suddenly shifted into surprise; it had anticipated the force of the attack to overwhelm it, but there wasn't even the slightest trace of damage on it. All it had felt in preparation of the attack was the wind and the loud, intertwined noises of Lisia's screams and the cackling lightning.

The Rhyperior's Trainer was none other than Blue; having stayed watch near the tunnel Red had entered the battlefield from, he quickly went onto the stage, running towards where Lisia and Red were. As he stopped and witnessed what had happened, he was assaulted by an unadulterated surprise, shown in his wide-eyed face with his mouth hanging open. He knew that Rhyperior could cushion the attack, even if it would potentially take substantial damage in the process, but there was no sign of any injury upon it.

An immense thud cracked the earth, revealing Manectric descending from the skies into the ground. It seemed to have leapt up to the sky and landed a fair distance where the target was at. Manectric stole a glance at its Trainer, eyeing Red with concern. The Discharge Pokemon's scarlet eyes also watched him in surprise, evidently taken aback by its master's sudden recovery. Exhausted and feeling slightly relieved, it gave off a light, panting growl, the feedback of the cackling electricity still surrounding it, as it reverted into its normal form.

What surprised everyone the most, though, was the fact that the two battling Trainers were now together in an isolated corner of the battlefield; Red was cradling Lisia in her arms in an almost protective gesture, far away from where the impact from Red’s own Manectric would have otherwise occurred. Lisia appeared unharmed as she lay in Red’s shielding embrace, but Red had not been so lucky; Lisia’s eyes widened at the burning gash that was now engraved into Red’s left arm, a harsh indicator that Red had not escaped the attack unscathed, that he had rescued Lisia from an attack of his own design.

Settling into the situation, Lisia immediately forgot the surprise that came with the devastating attack, alarmed by Red’s injury. 

“Red, are you okay?” She quickly stood up and called for help. “Call the medics, quick!”

“I’m fine,” His body reacted as if he felt no pain whatsoever—as if he didn’t deserve to writhe and suffer amidst the wound he had inflicted upon himself. No, the pain Lisia could see in him now laid in his eyes, his eyes.

 _Red had left his side of the field to protect Lisia from his own attack?_ The array of events left many confused and fuddled, wondering what the most significant event was.

"Lisia!" A familiar voice called, and Wallace could be seen hurriedly running toward the stage—towards his niece, who had been lowered by Red after he saved her. "Are you alright?"

“I’m okay,” Lisia said, sidling close to her uncle. She continued staring at Red, unsure if she was concerned or fearful of him. “But Red is…”

"It...didn't hit at all?" Blue knew that Rhyperior could cushion the attack, even if it would take substantial damage in the process, but there was no sign of any injury upon it. He turned to Red. "What did you do?" Blue then remembered what he could of the terrifying scene again, and the truth came to him.

 _So that's what it did,_ he thought. Using another burst of electricity to elevate Manectric from the course of its destination, redirecting the path upward and detracting itself from the initial direction of the tackle. The same tactic that Red had used to redirect itself when fighting Wallace and his Mega Swampert had been used here again as a safety precaution that redirected the trajectory of the attack, minimizing the potential damage.  Blue was thankful that Red had managed to prepare an emergency halt for the move.

"Red...?" Lisia whispered.  She didn’t know how to react, and there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks with the way he’d carried her earlier. Still, she had to know why he’d saved her, and why all of that happened. "Why did you-"

"I'm sorry, Lisia, Wallace.” He said. His voice was sombre, and for the first time, they could see how soft Red’s eyes were—how remorseful they were, how sorrowful. “I crossed the line. I'm just glad no one got hurt."

"Are you alright, Red?" Wallace asked, stuttering in between words. There was now a slight, ominous feeling within him towards the Kanto Trainer. "I'm sorry I forced you into this-"

"Something went wrong," Red declared, raising his voice to be heard by the crowd. "This battle will end in a draw."

* * *

 “So…what was that?” The enthusiasm that the Snowpoint City Gym Leader usually wore on her face had long disappeared since the middle of the battle. “I’m not the only one stunned by all that, right?”

“Such power…” Volkner narrowed his eyes at the scene before him. Red’s Manectric easily surpassed what he himself could muster right now, and it was a Pokemon he had presumably not even trained as well as his other Pokemon. “To think this is merely a sample of what he can do…”

“Was that all worth the hassle? Even then, that would’ve ended up hurting both of them. And very badly. I get that Blue had his Rhyperior as backup, but it didn’t even seem to get hit at all. I have no idea how it didn’t happen,” Iris said, scratching her head. Of course, she was grateful that nothing bad happened in the end, but she still couldn’t understand how everything had transpired. “It used the lightning bolt to redirect itself from the attack just in time,” Volkner explained. It was his best attempt at assuming what had happened, having sensed the signs of a second thunderbolt before the imminent, supercharged Electric attack would’ve hit Ali and Lisia. “For the risk it took, his control is admittedly quite impressive.”

“I’m just glad Lisia’s not hurt,” Diantha said, sighing. The battle that had unfolded was quite difficult to watch, more scary than many of the horror movies she’d been exposed to throughout her acting career. “Even if only at Red’s own expense.”

Cynthia crossed her arms around her, almost as if she were shivering from a non-existent cold in the cosy arena. It hurt to see him suffer, both from the wound he had taken and the animosity of the tense atmosphere everyone was giving him. Something inside her also twisted at the way he’d held Lisia in his arms, but that was secondary to how hesitant she was about him right now, of how horrifying he could be in front of her.

 _I’m no longer the person you met that day._ The words echoed in Cynthia’s mind again, and then she remembered her moment of vulnerability again, of how she had not known the full picture of the extent of what Red had been through, because she had _not wanted_ to know.  Her eyes were fixated on Red as he seemingly paid no heed to the crowd, heading back into the tunnel where he first entered the arena wordlessly.

* * *

"W-Well, folks, under Red's decision, the battle will end in a draw!" The referee's voice stuttered, dumbfounded by the chain of events that had unfolded on that day.

This time, however, there was little cheer, little humble applause. The repetitive sound of murmuring by the crowd, all confused, astonished, some even repulsed, seemed to overpower the cheer the stadium used to echo with.The crowd went into an uproar at the event, mixed feelings of scorn, hate and fear spreading across the spectators. The lights and camera were similarly all focused on the still arena, having captured every moment of the battle that put everyone at the edge of their seat, a battle that could’ve ended horribly. 

“You could’ve hurt her!” Some of her fans went into anger at how Red had almost hurt their beloved idol greatly. “Yeah, you’ve gone too far!”

“Hey, she asked for it,” Another said. “He gave her a chance to quit but she didn’t.” The bits and pieces of conversation spiralled into disagreement and arguments relating to the unexpected event.

As the tense atmosphere settled into Blue and discomforted him, he then noticed Red walking away from the arena; the latter needed to have his wound tended to, but he seemed nonchalant about the whole situation and had walked away before he’d realized it.

"Hey!” Blue yelled at him from such a distance, but he found himself unable to run after him and stop him in his tracks. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Red ignored him as he continued walking toward the darkness of the tunnel that would lead him into the main halls of the facility, not even so much as looking back.

“Wait!” Lisia cried, suddenly realizing that Red was leaving. A concerned hand stopped her from following him, as she turned to Wallace, who eyed her with concerned eyes and shook his head, as if to forbid her from going after him.

She now understood that there was a reason that Blue had wanted to avoid this… that even Red himself had known of this all along, but she had forced Red into a battle that should not have had transpired—a battle that almost left her and her Pokemon gravely hurt. She now felt somewhat guilty over forcing Red to battle with her, and how Red had taken a hit that she should have taken for an incident she had started. She had asked Red to fight at his best, overconfident that she would be dazzled even if she would’ve lost, but was instead met with something she had not anticipated, something far worse than she’d imagined when she’d expected to try her hand in a battle with the World Champion. Even so, she knew that Red could not be blamed for it. 

And Red did not stop to react to her either, and Lisia forced herself to take a few steps forward through her uncle’s grip to go after him. “Red, I…”

As his final traces dissolved into the black of the deep tunnel, however, there was a thud to the floor; Lisia screamed once more, followed by Blue, and the two ran toward Red amidst the confusion of the befuddled crowd.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. Looks like I had to delay this chapter again because a lot has been going on despite my break, but I digress. In any case, I'd also like to note that I've also fixed some of the errors I've made in my previous chapters, and intend to fix them as I go. I'll ideally post chapter 6 within this week or the early next since I worked on a fairly large draft for this. 
> 
> Anyways, I appreciate all your patience and how you've been sticking with me this far! Please review!


	7. Chapter 6: Unconcealable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an enduring persistence, Cynthia discovers the truth behind Red's ominous behaviour on stage, leaving her to wonder of her own feelings toward the World Champion...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. I'm REALLY sorry about updating this chapter so late, as a combination of illness + issues with the chapter (curse my ability to argue with myself) school almost starting and various issues really serve to make my life a lot more busy, but I hope this chapter will be worth the one due to the big content it's giving. I'm still not sure if I managed to smoothen it out as good as the previous iteration, but that's why I'm publishing it, so you all can let me know if I can do a better job and whatnot!
> 
> Note that the chapter may be messy as I'm still a bit ill and I might've missed a few holes, but I've been in contact with a beta that'll give my chapter some cleanup. 
> 
> Thank you all for your patience and I hope you'll stick with me further!

**Earth and Sky Chapter 6: Unconcealable**

_He’s completely lost it._

Idling upon the wall near the main entrance of the door, the Sinnoh Champion solemnly dwelled on the words Lance had said when she’d asked him of what he knew when they were spectating the exhibition battle earlier. She did not know what to make of the exhibition battle between Red and Lisia; had the former not snapped out of it at the last second—and even Blue was present for backup during the battle in the end—the outcome could have ended in Lisia and her Altaria gravely injured. Remembering Blue’s presence later in the battle, she also recalled his behaviour before the battle started both behind and on the stage, knowing that he was right in trying to avoid Red's battle against Lisia—thinking back now, Cynthia was certain that Blue knew something like that would have happened, and his reactions were thus more justified than one could initially imagine.

She entertained a few moments pondering on what exactly caused such a drastic change in Red’s behaviour, before she ruminated on the fact that she had to ponder on such a question because she had denied herself a crucial moment of knowing the actual answer to it—Red seemed to be intent on elaborating more of his horrific experience that he revealed to her last night, but her moment of vulnerability, stemming from learning of his experiences and sharing her own unfortunate ones, meant that she could not stomach more than what she’d heard and divulged back then.

She then remembered Lisia screaming following Red’s declaration of the battle ending in a draw, screaming as she and Blue ran after Red as if something horrible had happened to him, and she’d felt as though she wanted to scream and run after him just as they did back then, but she had been unable to reach out to him.

The arena had gone into a frenzy after the battle, and it took a while for things to calm down after the uproar of events. The surrounding mood in the main PWT hall had turned dispirited after the latest exhibition battle, and little news were available following said battle apart from the fact that Red was being tended to, presumably with Blue and Professor Oak’s supervision. Lisia herself had yet to make an appearance after the event, and many also presumed her to be present with the aforementioned Kanto-natives in observing Red’s condition.

Inevitably, Cynthia had to partake in conversation discussing the event, and even now in the main hall of the crowded PWT facility, gossip echoed in the hall about Red's battle, and it upset her for her ears to collect pieces of conversations of the people present talking about it, and she sympathized with him in the notoriety he'd gained after that. Cassandra stood at Cynthia's side, her innocent eyes worried for her older sister. 

The automated entrance suddenly slid open to reveal Red and Blue entering, as the hall went still at their presence. Although the two entered together, it was the taller Trainer’s presence of the two that had brought about the tense atmosphere. Many regarded the duo with wary looks, and indeliberately, Cynthia detected the reactions of the Kanto and Johto Gym Leaders, who appeared to be more disturbed by his arrival than the others present there. Her gaze then returned to Red, and while he appeared to be unharmed, a closer look at his left arm revealed that it had been bandaged, noticeable even through the sleeves of his new jacket that veiled traces of the bandages wrapped around it.

As Red approached the main counter, Clay and Cheren, the two main hosts of the event, stepped forward. Clay regarded him with a reprimanding, authoritative look, whereas Cheren wore an indiscernible look of his own as he adjusted his tie. The Driftveil City Gym Leader raised a brow, appearing surprised at how Red seemed fine considering the severity of the attack he’d received, but his stern exterior remained even as others surrounding the Kanto Champion eyed him fearfully.

“Well, ya’ seem all good. Heard from Wallace that ya just overworked yerself and passed out after the battle. That why ya head was in the ground back there, kid? Haven’t been getting enough rest, have ya?”

That was the explanation that Clay and the rest of the PWT authorities had obtained from Wallace; along with Lisia, he was surprisingly not present among the group for the next briefing. The revelation attracted some varying looks from the crowd, some in concern that Red was pushing himself more than he needed to, while others gave off looks of disapproval. 

Red stood silent in the face of Clay’s presumption, and it was Blue who then spoke for him, though he did not seem to be speaking on his behalf. “He has a habit of overdoing his training sometimes. Believe me, we’ve given him enough suggestions for him to take it easy on himself, but I’ll say today’s a good enough lesson for him.”

“It’s good that you’re okay, but whatever happened to you back there...what could have happened back there,” Cheren said, after clearing his throat. “I really hope it won’t happen again.”

“It won’t.” It was Red who replied this time, and even with the sincere way he let those words out, there was an intimidating vibe that came with them. His next words came with a stutter, “I’m… sorry.”  

Clay hid a sigh and proceeded with their next briefing. “Welp, listen up, champs!” He cleared his throat again, addressing the gathered contestants, “Some of ya’ll may already know this, but our next match will be a standard match. The scoring system will be more straightforward this time, cuz’ only the winner gets somethin’, a flat 40 points for winnin’ yer match. We have our schedule and matchups early—and here they are!”

A group of assistant workers arrived from the back of the hall carrying large boards listing matchups for each individual group of Trainers—Gym Leaders, Elite Four Members, Champions and Miscellaneous Trainers. Along with the contestants, spectators, analysts and reporters also gathered at the scoreboards, wanting to pick up on what matches were bound to be the most entertaining. 

As Cynthia went through the match listings, she discovered that she was to be pit against Diantha the following week—it would be the first time the two would face off against one another, something that excited her greatly as she had never had the proper opportunity to face a good friend of hers in battle. Apart from their similarities as two women Champions of their native regions, their parallels were bound to make for an exciting match.

Red, on the other hand, had been pit against Blue; it was a classic spectacle, a tried-and-true pair that had transpired on many a stage including that of the Pokemon World Tournament, and the rivalry between the two powerful Pallet Town Trainers dates back years surrounding their legends, with Red being the victor nearly every time, albeit narrowly. It was certainly a match-up that many looked forward to seeing again despite having occurred various times, and especially considering how much the two have developed. However, some also assumed that the battle had been arranged deliberately, as the authorities deemed Blue most suitable to be Red’s next opponent after what had transpired today.

“Also, it’s come to my attention that Hoenn’s hosting its end-of-summer festival this week,” Cheren said, scrolling through some of the documents in his hand. Several Hoenn-natives, such as Winona, Juan and the Mossdeep twin Leaders nodded in affirmation of the news. “As our next series of battles occurs next week, there’s a three-day break before you’re all due for your next battle. I know we’ve said that it’s best if you guys stayed here throughout the tournament, but you’re free to go back to celebrate as you please and for any future instances, so long as you return on time.”

Following that last significant announcement, people began to move out of the hall after collecting the important news. Although the attention on Red had split after Clay and Cheren had begun their announcements, most eyes turned to Red again as he wordlessly left the hall following the news, flying off into the sky after leaving the hall. Cynthia had given him a reaction largely similar that others surrounding her had given him, but she herself dared not to approach him in his current state. She knew she was worried for Red, but what was concern for a person she cared for seemed to mix in with how _scared_ she was of him suddenly. Was it fear? Fear of Red's current state in that he's become someone she should avoid? She attempted to dismiss such a negative thought, knowing that little to nothing could dissuade how she felt toward Red, especially after their meeting the previous night. 

Brushing off these thoughts, Cynthia’s gaze trailed to Lance who had walked up to Blue, and the two seemed to be whispering to one another discreetly. It was quite likely to her that they were discussing Red’s condition, and other surrounding Gym Leaders and Elite Four members that noticed the two presumed so as well. Judging from their movement, the two were about to leave together, possibly to continue their discussion in a less crowded location, and Cynthia walked toward the two reflexively, her sister in tow.

Blue took notice of her presence before he could walk out the door, and greeted her.

“Oh, hey, Cynthia. May I help you?” He then noticed Cynthia’s sister and nodded as a greeting, to which Lance followed suit and nodded at the two sisters. Cassandra shyly tucked herself behind her sister’s back, following a barely detectable nod of her own, as Cynthia stroked her head and greeted the two Champions.

“Hello,” she said, deciding to cut to the chase. “You were talking about what happened, weren’t you?”

“Uhh, yeah.” Cynthia could tell that he was just as hesitant as she was about discussing the matter. “He just overworked himself, as Clay said earlier. He’s really stubborn about his training and pushes himself too hard often. I doubt he’ll make the same mistake after today, though.”

“But that’s not true, is it?” Cynthia asked, “It’s not just him overworking himself. You knew that it would happen earlier. That’s why you acted the way you did back then. You also knew that it was going to happen with how you acted when we sat nearby one another, didn’t you, Lance?”

The two Kanto Trainers glared at one another for a moment, but they quickly dismissed their anger after realizing that they had both made the same mistake. Blue’s attention then returned to Cynthia, whom he felt suspicious about her curiosity and how she was unsatisfied with Clay’s explanation earlier. A thought then came to him, a possibility he’d held in his head for quite a while that he had never clarified before, and now was as good an opportunity as any to verify it.

“Come to think of it,” He began, “There’s something I’ve been curious about for a while, but I’ve never made sure.” There was a pause before he continued. “You were the girl he rescued back then, weren’t you?”

Cynthia’s eyes widened slightly at Blue’s words, but she wasn’t overly surprised. She had interacted with both of the Pallet Town Trainers years before, and she would have wanted to reacquaint with Blue as well through their current conversation even if the Kanto Champion hadn’t brought the subject up himself. She nodded in confirmation, saying: “Yes. I am.”

Lance appeared confused for a moment, but the presumption quickly came to him and shocked the Dragon Trainer. “What’s this all about? You mean to say they’ve—”

“They’ve met before, yes. The three of us have. Long before our own careers have started. Red rescued her in Kanto during our childhood.”

“Small world we live in, huh,” The surprise from the coincidence still lingered in Lance for a moment. “I can see why you’re concerned, then.”

“Have you reconciled with him?” Blue queried.

“Last night, at the Giant Chasm.”

Blue remembered that Red had visited the Chasm with Alder as Red had informed him of the previous night; he had not told him he’d met Cynthia there, however, which only added to Blue’s presumption that Red had not told her everything, if he had even let out the slightest inkling of the truth. 

“Did he tell you anything?” As if he read Blue’s mind, Lance asked that question for good measure.

“He only told me about… Pallet Town.” Cynthia said, pausing in between the sentence, not wanting to recount it in detail. 

“Nothing more than that?” Lance asked.

Cynthia shook her head.

“That explains why you doubted Clay’s explanation.” Blue said, and Cynthia could tell from the look in his eyes that he was assessing something—perhaps he was assessing her, wondering if it was appropriate for her to know the truth.

“So can you tell me what’s going on?”

“What good would come out of it if you knew?” Blue suddenly said, “What significance does he have to you after so many years?”

Cynthia could not respond due to the abruptness of the question, and Blue spoke yet again. 

“He’s no longer the same person from the past. I expect he’d have said as much to you."

“He did," She finally managed. "But that doesn’t change anything. He's still the same person who saved me back then. The same strong Trainer—”

"That’s not what I mean,” Blue’s tone raised. “You’re a clever woman, Cynthia. Think about it. Why would he have decided to tell you about it in the first place? Just because you asked him to?”

Blue’s words confused Cynthia. “What are you saying, then? Well, I admit I was insistent about it, and—”

“If he was willing to only tell you about one part of it, I doubt he was looking for comfort or anything like that. He did it knowing that what happened today would happen. What I’m trying to say is… he did it to distance himself from you.”

Cynthia felt as if time went still at Blue’s last statement. She quickly recovered from it, but she pressed on for the truth nevertheless, not wanting to focus on Blue’s previous statement. “And why did it happen? Can I not know? I won’t tell anyone—”

“We can’t tell you,” Lance said. “I appreciate your concern, Cynthia, but this is… something that the less people know, the better.” Following those words, Blue and Lance left the hall, leaving the siblings where they were standing.

“Big sis?” Cassandra’s tiny voice that had been absent throughout the previous conversation addressed Cynthia as the younger girl tugged on the sleeve of her sister’s coat. Cynthia’s attention lay on the two departing Champions for a moment before she stroked her sister’s head again for comfort, putting on a fake smile as the words Blue had mentioned rang in her mind stubbornly, unshakably, disturbing her more than she’d expected they would.

 _He did it to distance himself from you_.

It was a foreign feeling, a foreign premonition that she had never experienced before; and it was something that had never crossed her mind, even during moments in her life when she remembered him prior to their first reconciliation, even during the time where she had worked hard to prepare for their next spar against one another following their last battle. And even last night, when her doubts and fears manifested at their worst, Cynthia had never considered the possibility that Blue had just proposed. As the reality sank into her mind, so did the smile on her lips that she forced for her sister’s sake.

More than forgetting about her, it stung her heart more knowing he wanted her away from him.

* * *

The upsetting feelings continued to linger within Cynthia as she and Cassandra sat on a nearby bench for a few moments, accompanied by Jervis. She had hoped to empty her mind of the depressing thoughts, but she only managed to elicit worried looks from her younger sister and her butler. Such moments usually prompted her to buy ice cream or hang out with friends to cheer up, but she felt disinclined to do all those things, and instead decided to tour the streets of Driftveil, the closest city to the PWT facility. The coming autumn made the city rather cold, with fallen, brown leaves riddling the bark of the surrounding trees, and she and her sister could feel the change in the climate as they shivered slightly at the light gust of wind that blew through them as the day grew older.

As they passed by a café along the streets, Cynthia caught sight of Blue and Lance again; but she noticed they weren’t alone this time—they were with Blue’s grandfather, Professor Oak, and another person all too familiar to the Sinnoh Champion and her sister. Before Cynthia knew it, Cassandra was already running toward the four people, and she couldn't resist the smile that came on her face when she realized that Professor Carolina had also arrived in Unova. 

“Grandma!” Cassandra ran toward Professor Carolina, who gleefully took her youngest granddaughter in a loving embrace.

“Good to see you again, dear.” The Professor said, happy to see her two grandchildren, nodding to Jervis as well. She then turned to hug Cynthia just as she’d done with her youngest granddaughter. “Congratulations on winning today.”

Lance and Blue simply nodded while addressing her. There seemed to be a tense atmosphere among them, perhaps due to the fact that they’d discussed the event prior. 

“It’s rare that I see you up and about with people, Grandma,” Cynthia said. “Is there something going on?”

The smile on Professor Carolina’s face faded slightly at the question, and as she gave her answer, Cynthia felt the fleeting joy of meeting her grandmother fade slightly as well. “I think you know what we were talking about.”

Confirming her suspicions, Cynthia's own smile dissipated, but a question in her mind quickly replaced her disappointment. 

_Would the Professor be more generous than his grandson?_

“Professor…” She couldn’t explain the hope she held in her heart nor the insistence of wanting the truth  behind Red’s condition. “Can you tell me what happened today… happened?”

“I thought I already told you, _no_.” Blue wasn’t pleased that Cynthia was pushing the matter again, but he only appeared mildly angered by Cynthia’s persistence. “Then again, I should understand that you wouldn’t take that for an answer.”

“We’ve already asked him that question, Cynthia.” Professor Carolina clarified. “He’s sadly refused to reveal the truth, but everything’s going to be okay.”

“That I do, Cynthia.” Professor Oak clarified. “Though as your grandmother’s mentioned, I hope you won’t press me for an answer.”

“We’re sorry, Cynthia,” Lance said. “I know it’s difficult for you, but please understand.”

There was a moment's pause.

“Big sis, what’s wrong?”

Cassandra’s worried plea came first, and then came the wet sensation near the rim of Cynthia’s eyes, spreading down her left cheek.

“Oh, goodness!” Professor Carolina couldn’t remember the last time she saw Cynthia with an expression like that. “Is something wrong, dear?”

Blue sighed. He was admittedly bothered by the sight, but in a way that sympathized with her. “You really care about him that much, do you?”

As Professor Oak took in Blue’s comment, he understood what happened. He remembered Cynthia when she came to Kanto for the exchange programme many years ago, and how she had been rescued by Red during the same trip. “After all those years, you’ve reconciled with him, haven’t you?”

Cynthia nodded. “Yes, Professor. Which is why...I need to know the truth. Please.”

“She knows about what happened last year. That’s all Red appears to have told her already, at least.” Blue explained to his grandfather as to what she already knew, and he looked at his grandfather intently, awaiting his decision, as Cynthia nodded in affirmation.

“I suppose it can't be helped, then.” The Professor then gave a look toward Professor Carolina after a short glance at her youngest granddaughter, and she knew immediately what he wanted to say.

“Come, sweetie.” Professor Carolina stroked her youngest granddaughter’s head, knowing that it was best to take her home first. “Jervis will take you back to Undella.”

“But I want to know what happened!”

“You’re too young to know what happened,” Blue told the younger girl, “I’m sorry, Cassandra.” Cassandra gave off an unsatisfied look, but she obediently listened to her grandmother as she followed Jervis to collect their limo and return to Undella. 

After Jervis left with Cassandra, Professor Oak let out a sigh and began to speak.

“What happened to Red today dates back to some years ago,” It was exhausting, if only in his own discomforting way, to have to talk about this after explaining it to Lisia and Wallace earlier, even as his sympathy for the Sinnoh Champion overshadowed his need to keep the truth locked up. “Five years, to be exact. For starters, I think it’s no surprise that some people may have noticed that Red’s not using his Pikachu anymore.”

One would assume the Trainer and his Pokemon had a falling out and caused the latter to leave or some such, but Red was known to be a Trainer that shared an exceptional bond with his Pokemon, and he had even illustrated so today.

“The truth is, that Pokemon left him out of consideration,” Blue said. “You see, Red’s afflicted with a traumatic condition that causes a drastic personality change when he’s exposed to a large amount of electricity. Red’s Pikachu left him for that reason. And it’s also the main reason why...I acted like I did back there.” Blue felt embarrassed at his conduct knowing that Cynthia was in full view of it when he’d first discovered Red was using a Manectric. 

“So Red behaved like that… because he was using Manectric?” Professor Carolina exclaimed. 

“But what caused this?” Cynthia asked, her brow furrowed. “How could he have—”

“Giovanni did it,” Lance said, “He did it long before he destroyed Pallet Town, long before the Pokemon World Tournament was ever introduced.”

However, the sentence caused Cynthia to bite her lip and direct part of that resentment toward herself, knowing that it was only an affirmation that there was indeed more behind Red’s condition that she’d stopping Red from revealing last night.

“The rumours speak of Red defeating Giovanni and Team Rocket many times, but the truth is… he’s lost to him once.” Professor Oak said. 

Blue had always wondered when the day would come where a Trainer of his calibre would finally taste defeat and how Red would interpret it just as he did; the fact that he was so ignorant of such a feeling would have made the magnitude of his loss larger, but Blue would not have wished for Red to have experienced his first loss in such a way.

“What? But how could he have...” Cynthia, too, could not fathom the idea of Red losing, especially against someone whom the legends speak of his continuous triumph over through the years. There always seemed to be such an expected vibe surrounding him in that Red was truly a Trainer of an unsurpassable calibre, to think that the most powerful Trainer himself had fallen once, and to the very man who he had defeated time and time again…

“No one could fault him for his loss,” Noticing his grandfather’s pause, Blue decided to take over him in explaining it to Cynthia, to which the Professor gave a faint smile in gratitude for his understanding. “No one could have defeated Giovanni back then—not me, not anyone, and especially not alone… and not given Red’s strength back then. Giovanni had acquired himself the mythical Pokemon Deoxys.”

“Deoxys?” Professor Carolina interjected the conversation at the mention of that extremely rare and unexplored Pokemon. It was a controversial Pokemon in the research industry, primarily due to the extreme rarity and generally implausible stigma of an alien Pokemon coming from space. The fact that it was real alone seemed to surprise the Sinnoh Professor greatly. “The DNA Pokemon from space? I’ve only heard bits and pieces of it, and it’s mostly a topic that’s been largely dismissed due to how drastically differing opinions in the field toward it are. To think he could’ve accessed that Pokemon…”

“We do not know how he had obtained it, but we presume that it was taken from a meteorite storing the Pokemon that fell from outer space.” Professor Oak continued to explain, “And it was a Pokemon with extraordinary capabilities. A Pokemon that apart from its base form had three other forms that tailored to its required capabilities in battle. It could transform itself to increase its offense, defense and speed at will, and possessed remarkable regenerative abilities. It’s the closest anyone would deem a perfect Pokemon.”

It was unlikely that anyone would have been able to handle that Pokemon without difficulty, even for a Trainer like Red himself.

“We didn’t know about this until much later, though. It all started when some of our local Gym Leaders had gone missing, even amongst the strongest. Erika, Blaine, Sabrina…Koga managed to escape captivity and head toward the Pokemon League and ask us for help. It didn’t take long for the news to reach both Blue and Red given that something was amiss, and Red obviously went off to find them the moment he knew about it.

“Red managed to help them escape, and he’d stayed behind to deal with Giovanni all on his own. We thought he’d be able to manage himself...but it wasn’t until that day that we realized what had gone terribly wrong."

“It was all a trap,” Lance said. “Giovanni knew that Red could arrive and come and save them, and he’d revealed Deoxys only after he was alone with him. It didn’t matter if Red was the strongest in Kanto back then...the unpredictability and the strength of that DNA Pokemon was far too much. I couldn’t have beaten that Pokemon then. No one could. And then…”

A long silence enraptured the atmosphere between them. Lance turned to Blue, wanting him to reveal the next part, knowing full well it was going to hurt.

“Red and his Pokemon had been subject to parilla for weeks while remaining captive…” The words came through gritted teeth, and Cynthia and her grandmother gasped at the revelation. “Despite Giovanni’s victory over Red, he still saw good use in Red’s abilities as the only Trainer that had ever defeated him, the Trainer that had toppled the organization he created in attempt to take control over the world. He wanted Red’s power for his own, and struggled as he might… Red could only last so far before he was subject to his will.”

Memories too cruel to remember resurfaced inside Blue’s head once again, on how he, Lance, his grandfather, his friends, Gym Leaders, the Elite Four—fought a devastating battle against Team Rocket. He remembered how Giovanni mocked them—all of them—on his triumph against Red with the new Pokemon he had acquired, and they watched and listened in horror as the leader of Team Rocket revealed what he had done to Red, how their hero had broken under his grasp, how Red had succumbed to him like a puppet under his strings.

It was the worst they could have ever imagined—Red, the strongest in Kanto and its greatest hero, had been their enemy in that battle, having turned into the monster Giovanni wanted to turn him into following the devastating defeat he’d suffered under his hands. Even with the most powerful Trainers across the two neighbouring regions banding together against Team Rocket, the combined power of Deoxys, Red and Team Rocket’s forces proved a difficult challenge, and their efforts to rescue Red and his Pokemon had been painstaking given that he was on the opposing side. It took everyone pushing themselves to their limits, but even though they'd defeated Giovanni and Team Rocket in the end, it didn't feel like a victory given how much had been lost; too much destruction had been left in the wake of the battle. Giovanni had escaped, and many had regarded Red responsible for the destruction of the region despite being controlled against his will.

“He was considered for confinement and arrest for what he’d done, even if we didn’t want to do it… he was always revered within the region as a legendary hero, and he’d only become like that because he had been captured and unexpectedly defeated in an effort to save our Gym Leaders. But after what Giovanni had done to him…we were all so scared. We didn't know what to do about it all, and obviously, there was a lot of animosity of the people after that incident regardless. Nevertheless, we eventually came to a...difficult compromise.”

“Mount Silver.” The words were barely detectable as they escaped Cynthia’s lips like the faintest breeze through a window. “That’s why he’s staying there, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. He lives on Mount Silver in self-exile. A place where he would risk no one else harmed by him.” Lance said. 

“But the fact that he’s isolated himself is our responsibility,” Blue said. “No one dared to try and help and understand him after the incident. No one dared to forgive him, even as he fought Giovanni various times to protect us all. He took the blame of a crime that was not of his own volition and lives on his own for it."

“We’d thought it’d be all over after that… but it was never so simple. The trauma that came from the event altered his personality and made him sensitive to electricity, such that even the slightest exposure to it can change him into the person he was that day." Professor Oak muttered. 

He remembered the first time he’d showed symptoms of it; he was usually reserved and enjoyed battling in a manner that anyone would appreciate. Gradually, the longer he’d battled with his Pikachu, he and his Pokemon began showing signs of the monster they wanted to bury that day. With his last and most heavy act of cruelty, Giovanni had branded Red with something that would force one of his closest partners away from him and many others to come: he'd took Kanto’s renowned hero and brought him down low.

“It was the first time he’d ever lost to someone. He wanted to prove that even someone as good as Red could fall. That everyone’s true nature is cruel deep down inside."

"Such is simply the risk that comes with fighting evil,” Professor Oak said. “You may very well end up being the very thing you attempted to stop."

“He’s only as strong as he is now after that day, because of how much he fears losing." Blue said. While many admired and desired the strength Red possessed, Blue doubted anyone would want to follow the path Red took to obtain it. "He fears losing himself, losing everything and causing loss just as he did that day. And that’s also why he isolated himself on Mount Silver, living with the guilt of his actions, the guilt of not being able to defeat him for the first time.”

Red's obsessive nature with his training and strength came from fear. Even as he laid unconscious in bed after their first battle, the first traces of his consciousness was him struggling with his nightmares, a painful sight for Blue and Professor Oak to see, something the World Champion had struggled with for so long...

“That's as much as we can tell you, apart from that other day...” Professor Oak said, rubbing his temple in painful remembrance of the event. “The day where his mother was murdered, the day where our home was destroyed, as I assume Red's already told you about. He was subject to trauma again, reawakening the monster from back then even as he struggled to stop him and deteriorating the time he took to overcome it…”

And now she had it. The truth, the truth behind Red.

Piecing the first half of what Red told her at the Giant Chasm and combining it with what she'd learnt just now did not give her any sense of fulfilment; it instead began to sadden her greatly to know how prejudiced life had been to him, and now her. Why? She thought. Why was fate so cruel to them both? What did Red do to deserve such cruelty from a man that he put to justice many years ago? And why did Giovanni's shadow have to continue plaguing him even after his death? Why was Red the one punished for all that? The array of sorrowful questions were crushing her on the inside as she struggled to keep them within herself, not wanting Blue and the two Professors to see her so vulnerable. 

“It’s improving, for what it’s worth.” Professor Oak said. “As time passed, and he resurfaced into society again, he tried his hand at the Pokemon World Tournament again, and his condition eventually improved. Even today, he was taking a gamble with his condition to see how far he’s improved, and while he’d handled his battle with Wallace very smoothly, we’ve clearly overestimated his ability to handle it long term. Even if he didn’t battle Lisia, he would likely need other opponents to calm himself, or simply an empty space to let loose…”

"So he'll be alright?" Cynthia asked.

"Only time will tell," Lance replied," At the very least, it's a significant improvement from last time. All we need to do is to maintain it."

"He's going to be okay, I hope." Professor Carolina remarked. "As long as he doesn't riot up the next few matches, people aren't going to keep Lisia's incident at heart. I trust everything will be alright."

"I can't say what Wallace and Lisia think," Professor Oak said. "I've explained everything I've just told you to them, but I can't control what they want to perceive it as. For the most part, the two dismissed the incident as Lisia was unharmed."

Cynthia imagined how traumatizing the incident had been for the young Lisia as well as her Altaria. The blood-curdling remembrance of Red's Mega Manectric using Indra's Spear itself disturbed her, as she wondered how Lisia was dealing with the incident.

"Cynthia," Professor Oak's expression suddenly took a sterner turn. "A warning for you. Be careful. It's not like me to reveal information about Red like this, but for your safety—as Red's future opponent—I must warn you about something."

"Yes?"

“It wasn't only Red that was corrupted after all that. His Charizard has, as well, his most powerful Pokemon. I understand you've faced it in battle before, but you still need to be careful. Thankfully, Red's been using it very rarely ever since that incident, and Charizard's case is far less significant than Red's. To make things safer, he also has an insulator within Charizard's Key Stone holder, but I'd rather not risk anything. Again, under any circumstance, neither of them can be exposed to a fair amount of electricity. Should you ever face it in battle under these circumstances, be extremely cautious. It's by far when Red is most dangerous, especially when he's using Mega Charizard X. Be wary of this, and we'll back things up just in case he uses it."

The same thought seemed to go through Blue's mind as Professor Oak gave his advice. Red's power wasn't just anything above-average; it would only continue to grow stronger, with his display of strength in the earlier battle merely the tip of the iceberg. Cynthia and her Garchomp had faced Charizard in battle once before, and she had to admit that it was one of the strongest foes they had ever faced, if not the most powerful. Cynthia managed to remind herself that Red was still a rival in the PWT, as well as the various expectations that surrounded the two of them as well-known figures throughout the battling world. Red's display today only served to remind her more to be especially careful of him in battle.

"I need some time to think," She finalized, preparing to leave the café. Her mind was perplexed with the news that Professor Oak and Blue had given her, and she wanted a moment to herself. She also didn't want to worry her grandmother, considering the truth was more overwhelming than she'd thought she could manage. "I'll head back to my villa."

“Wait.” Blue placed his hand on Cynthia’s shoulder before she could take a step, having something really important to tell her. “Whatever you do, I really hope you won’t tell anyone about this… unless you absolutely have to. If you’re really worried about him, you don’t have to push more people away from him than what he’s already trying to do himself. It wouldn’t be good for anyone to know about it and exploit it, either.”

“I understand," Cynthia nodded, having finally understood why Blue and Lance had wanted to keep it from her earlier, knowing that it was best for her to follow as well. "Thank you for telling me about all this. I'll be going then."

With that, Cynthia slowly walked off, many thoughts in her head after the heavy exchange. 

Professor Carolina did not stop looking in her granddaughter's direction as the latter departed, letting out a sigh of resignation. “I just want her to be happy. She's been staying strong for her sister and I, but it's painful to see her go through so much, and now to hear of what Red's been through too..."

“Not all is lost,” Professor Oak held a sombre expression of his own, although he tried not to think of the worst. “Not for either of them. Still, it’s amazing, isn’t it?  It seems like only yesterday the two have just met, and now the two of them have come so far and become champions of their own."

“He’s her final link to her own precious past,” Professor Carolina held a hand to her heart, knowing that Cynthia tended to keep her true thoughts inside as she grew up. “Although she appears to take it well, I know she’s devastated to hear what has happened to him, and maybe she's scared of him now, too..."

“I doubt she's scared of him," Professor Oak said, "From what I can see, she’s always held him in a regard unlike anyone else. I doubt any of this is going to change that view of him."

"That's exactly why, Samuel." Professor Carolina explained. "What I mean is that she's scared of losing him. After that horrible incident with her parents, she's always been scared of getting close to people and losing them. I just really hope she doesn't have the same experience with him."

"Perhaps it would be in the interest of the both of them to develop," Lance said. “Though I imagine it’ll be quite a while before Cynthia can get a crack at Red’s towering walls.” 

“He won’t allow himself that,” A sadness trailed off Blue as he interrupted the two elders. He knew that Red would never allow himself such a luxury. “Not until he overcomes that condition, at least. And not until he forgives himself. It's not something anyone can change but himself, even if you can try softening him up. Even then..." The regret welled up in Blue knowing that he hadn't been there for his best friend when he needed him most, and the bitter times he had been through as a result of that. His isolation was a product of not only his own fear, but that of his and the rest of the people of Kanto and Johto who did not attempt to understand him. "It's going to be hard for him to even seek forgiveness after what happened..."

* * *

Cynthia had spent the majority of her afternoon with her feet never stopping on the ground. She had a habit of drifting off, and before she knew it, she found herself in Mistralton City, where it seemed busier than usual due to the greater amount of departures that day. As Cheren had mentioned previously, Hoenn was having its summer-end festival, and Hoenn tourists and aspiring visitors now busied the usually less crowded airport. She ventured to the airport out of curiosity, where the spacious runway was housing a fair number of aircrafts and a greater number of people. She wondered if Skyla was present among the crowd there, or if she had already flown off for her daily patrol. She managed a small smile thinking about the pilot, knowing that the latter had won her own match today in an apparently stunning victory against Valerie of the Kalos region.

“Oh, hi, Cynthia! What brings you here?”

Cynthia had already spoken to the Mistralton Gym Leader earlier during the gathering session, but it was pleasant nonetheless to be seeing her again. “I tend to get lost in thought while walking. Guess this is where my feet brought me.”

Skyla giggled slightly before the jubilant expression on her face changed into one of concern. Skyla had noticed the change in Cynthia's demeanour following the battle between Red and Lisia. “You seemed quite down after that battle. Are you okay?" 

“I’m fine.” The walk she had taken eased her slightly, although she wasn’t out of the bothering feelings that were nibbling at her just yet. “It just wasn’t something nice to see, that’s all…”

“Well, maybe a flight with me will cheer you up. Would you be up for that? I’ll just need to settle a few things and we’ll be ready for takeoff!”

The two suddenly caught the eye of a certain someone walking a distance away from them; they couldn’t have mistaken it.

“Red?” Skyla’s enunciation of the figure’s name only served to evidence even further that she wasn’t seeing things. “What’s he doing here?”

They followed him to the rear end of the runway unnoticed, but that was mostly due to the inevitability that other civilians present were following him as well. The World Champion stopped in front of a jet; it appeared to be expensive, nothing like Cynthia had ever seen before, and it was likely that it was a private jet much like the one she owned. Examining the form and aesthetic of the plane, Skyla determined that it was a jet from Hoenn, and as the two inched closer to get a closer look, they soon understood who the jet was meant for.

It was Lisia’s jet.

“Thank goodness you’re alright,” The Contest idol appeared to have just started speaking. Though it was not a surprise to see the famed icon wear a gleeful smile on her face, it was a surprise for Cynthia and Skyla given who was on the other end of the conversation. “You fainted back there, and I was worried earlier.”

Before he first spoke, he bowed apologetically, his eyes glued to the ground without looking her in the eye. “I’m sorry.”

Lisia immediately responded, her expression frantic. “N-No, Red, please… I should be the one apologizing. I was the one who forced you into that battle, and if I hadn’t, all of this wouldn’t have—”

“I overestimated myself. I could have rejected that battle, but I didn’t.”

“I wouldn’t have let you,” Lisia murmured. “I guess I got the better of myself. I didn’t know that all that was…”

“I could’ve hurt you. Nothing changes that fact.”

“But you didn’t. You saved me just in time back there because you taught your Pokemon to redirect the attack.” Her eyes turned to Red’s arm where his sleeves had covered the bandage, knowing full well that he was hurt despite the front he was putting on before her. “You even got hurt for me…”

Red hid a sigh as he raised his head and straightened himself. “You didn’t get hurt in the end. That’s all that matters.”

“That’s not all that matters at all! And then there’s the fact that you—”

“Don’t worry about that,” Lisia could feel the increased force in the way Red had said that, and she realized that he didn’t want her to state that out loud, especially given that the two were no longer alone, and the surrounding people were swarming by the minute. He did not seem to be intent on pursuing the conversation further, and took a few steps toward the exit of the open runway.

“That’s all I wanted to say. Goodbye.”

“Wait! Please hear me out a bit..." Lisia clutched Red’s uninjured arm again, and yet again Red did not resist such a gesture. He stopped, appearing willing to listen.

“Red, I know you’re blaming yourself for what happened back there. And I know that…” She did her best to choose the right words to say at the moment, knowing that there were people watching them at the moment. “I know that it’s hard for you to come to terms with what’s happened. But know that it doesn’t have to be this way. I was excited when I saw you on that stage, and I wanted to see what it would take to present myself on the big stage, just as you wanted to test your own limits against Uncle Wall.”

There was a pause.

“When you saved me back then…” She gazed deeper into Red’s haunting eyes, “I saw something in you that I didn’t see in anyone else. I thought I’d be dazzled by the way you and your Pokemon battled together, enchanted by the thought of how a Trainer as strong as you could be so much more than what meets the eye… and I can’t say I didn’t get what I wanted, even if you didn’t battle me like in a Contest Battle back then. You were sick, and yet you managed to fight against what’s inside you, even if only at the last second, and I personally think it’s amazing to have the strength to fight against something like that. My perception of you hasn’t changed despite that. And if you’re really not going to change your mind that it was your fault that everything happened today…”

She extended a hand, her eyes hopeful and unafraid, just as she did on stage when she first proposed their battle together.

“Let us make amends for what happened together. Let me show you a piece of my world just as you have shown me yours. Come with me to Hoenn. The world shouldn’t hate you for what happened.”

“Go along with her, why not?” A voice came from behind them, and Wallace appeared to be walking toward them. Red’s hesitant glance turned to Lisia’s uncle as he had yet to say anything, who only smiled at him in response.

“Well, I can’t say I can deny the girl what she wants. And if it’s her way of accepting your insisted token of apology, I’d say the answer’s clear.”

“He's right. Maybe you should give it a go. It’s not like you’re going to lose anything, are you?” Another familiar face entered the conversation—it was Blue. Lance followed closed behind it. 

“Blue, I’m sorry about acting how I did earlier… had I just listened to you in stopping that battle earlier, I…”

Blue gave a wave of his hand to dismiss her apology before he addressed Red. “Well, if you want to make things right, you have a choice to make. I doubt she’ll hold it against you if you didn’t go along with her, but I think you’ll end up making her quite upset.”

“You bet I’d be! Come on, Red, come with me! Hoenn’s really fun, you know? I guarantee you’ll enjoy yourself!”

“It’s about time _you_ did the forgiving, don’t you think?”

"I can't until I can overcome it."

“Listen," Blue put his arms on Red's shoulders; he wanted to say this for a long time now, for the sake of everyone that was present during the battle to protect their region, and now was as good a time as any. "Part of why you're like this is... well, the fact that none of us bothered to be there for you after what happened. We were scared of you after what you've done, and we shouldn't have kept you at arm's length. 

“You needed our understanding and we shouldn't have left you to the expectations we've placed on you. And we’re sorry."

"I chose to be alone. There's nothing you need to be sorry about."

"Still, what I mean to say is that… _she’s_ forgiven you, while we've never even bothered to make amends with you.” Blue said, somewhat embarrassed. “As ironic as it is to say that.”

Lisia had done what they all could not following the battle against Giovanni all those years ago; she had accepted him, forgiven him, and saw the good in him despite what happened, and she was braver, far braver, than what many would presume.

Of course, Red had never blamed them for not understanding the circumstances of which it happened.

"So please… maybe it's time you went easy on yourself."

The question itself paused Red to think. Blue wanted him to move on. Lance wanted hi to move on. Professor Oak wanted him to move on. And now so did Lisia, whom he'd wronged a great deal. He knew that Blue was spot on in that Red had not once tried to forgive himself for the things he'd done, and has since lived in his guilt and conscience without letting people in to help him. He couldn't expect to be truly forgiven if he wasn't willing to forgive himself first, nor were his sins things that defined him as a person to be avoided and loathed. Maybe by accepting himself and his weakness as they were, would he truly come to overcome them.

No words came out still, and instead there was a smile and a nod from Red. It earned a beaming smile from the Hoenn idol as she attempted to tug him on her jet and take him with her to experience the joys of her homeland.

“Yay! Come on, Red! Let’s go now!"

“He’ll fly there by himself,” Blue said, trying to calm the excited Lisia down. “He’s not very fond of jets. It ruins the experience, as he coins it.”

“Aww… but where will you stay? You’re not going to lie to me and end up not coming, are you?”

“I assure you, I'll come." He decided that if that was Lisia’s way of wanting him to make things right, he saw no real reason to reject it.

Red then turned to Blue, and the two childhood friends tucked themselves into an embrace, lingering for a few moments. It was a tender moment, rare for the both of them after the horrible things that have happened, and the two wanted to savour it while it lasted.

"Oh, right." As they parted from their embrace, Blue appeared as if he suddenly remembered something, and he withdrew a familiar, lightning-bolt marked Pokeball with a matching Mega Stone from his pocket. The items belonged to Red, and were taken away from him while he was comatose. "Gramps said I could keep both of these. And I really hope you won't be using another one of these behind our backs again. If you want to train up on your condition, I'd appreciate it if you let us know beforehand."

Remembering the mistake he'd made on stage, Red's expression darkened very slightly, but he quickly recovered and apologised. "Sorry. I just thought I could've…”

"Hey, it's okay to make mistakes. And I know that you miss the little rodent, too. That's why you wanted to do this as well, didn't you?" Blue smiled wryly after mentioning this question, knowing that it wasn't easy to remind Red of how he'd lost his Pikachu. 

"I know," Red muttered, silently. Thinking about his separated Pokemon had its nostalgia and sadness in it, as his eyes darted towards the azure sky, blended in with a mild orange that was to welcome the coming evening. His Pikachu had left him to keep him safe from his own electrosensitivity, and he'd missed it dearly ever since. The silent movement of the clouds made him wonder where it was now. "I miss him too, but maybe it's better this way. Perhaps someday I'll see him again."

"Someday." Blue agreed. "Now go and have fun."

The end of the conversation was followed by an applause from the surrounding people, who applauded the fact that Lisia had forgiven Red despite their battle earlier, and were glad to see the two famous figures were getting along. It was a sign of the acceptance that Blue had wanted himself and the others to give him. Red found himself smiling at how the accident he'd started had ended with little fuss.

As Red surveyed his surroundings, he turned and noticed Cynthia watching among the group of people that surrounded them. As she detected Red’s gaze, Cynthia gave off a surprised look before she smiled, genuinely happy that he'd resolved his misunderstanding, if only for a moment. Red gave him a smile equally faint before he turned away, as if he felt embarrassed.

It wasn’t long before Red summoned his Charizard and disappeared into the sky, leaving Lisia and Blue with hopeful smiles as they watched him off.

“Aha,” Skyla said, with a grin. “Cynthia, you never told me the whole story, and I’m getting more and more curious about what exactly happened that night.”

Cynthia did not answer Skyla, and merely shook her head and waved her goodbye; the smile on her face seemed to put the Mistralton Gym Leader at ease, and she sent Cynthia off without pressing the topic.

* * *

Cynthia entered her villa with the resounding sound of the waves crashing into Undella Bay entering her ears. The sun had long set when she had first set foot on the beach, and dinner seemed to be ready for her inside as Jervis and Darach nodded in welcoming of their return as they went about setting the table. An array of noises come from the backyard, presumably from the Pokemon of the Trainers in the household having their own meals at present. 

“Welcome back, sis!” As her older sister entered, Cassandra tugged on Cynthia’s hand toward the dining table, where Caitlin and Shauntal were already seated. “Dinner’s ready!”

“Welcome back. Dinner’s prepared for your Pokemon outside, as well.” Jervis said, gesturing toward the spacious compound outside the window. 

“Welcome back, Cynthia!” Shauntal waved. The spacious villa seemed smaller given the Pokemon of the two Elite Four Trainers present and ready for their meals, and Cynthia, too, let out her team of Pokemon as they interacted with one another, creating a lively atmosphere ready for their last meal of the day.

“You were out later than expected.” Caitlin had heard from Cassandra that Cynthia had been discussing the latest exhibition battle with her grandmother, as well as with Professor Oak, Blue and Lance. “I assume you now know the details of what happened?”

“Oh, please, do tell!” Shauntal said. Her notebook was already placed on the dining table, ready to pen down any details despite the impropriety. “I’m not one to be excited about dangerous things like this, but who knows? Maybe you'll give me something really nice to work with!"

Cynthia did not seat herself on the chairs of the dining table. She recalled Blue's parting words after she'd learned the truth, and she intended to make good on what she'd promised she'd do. “Not a lot more than what I learned from him the day I met him that night."

“Be honest with me, Cynthia.” Caitlin’s statement came out more seriously than her usually serene tone. Her tranquil eyes seemed almost threatening despite her composed demeanour; Caitlin usually knew full well when Cynthia was hiding something, and despite Cynthia's initial thought, she knew better than to resist _Caitlin_ of all people; contrary to what met the eye, Caitlin possessed psychic powers that enabled her to peer into the minds of people, although it was an ability that took her quite some time to control. And while she could have simply peered into Cynthia’s mind to call her out on her deception, she had not done so out of respect for her friend. “You know more than you’re letting on.”

Sighing, Cynthia had only one other out left. “I promised them I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’m sorry.”

Time around the bustling dining table paused for a moment, and not even the starving Pokemon within the dining room made any noises. Sighing, Caitlin then gestured to Cynthia toward the room the latter was staying in, prompting Shauntal, Cassandra, and the two butlers to start dinner first. “You guys can start dinner without us. Give us a few moments. We won’t take long.”

“I never get to know anything!” Cassandra pouted. Sympathetically, Shauntal stroked the young girl on her head to comfort her, although she felt mildly disappointed at being unable to know as well. 

In the quiet privacy of Cynthia’s room, Cynthia’s Garchomp suddenly emerged from its Pokeball without its Trainer’s direction, an act of concern after sensing her disconcerted demeanour that lasted throughout most of the day. Cynthia gave it a fondly smile and stroked its rough, jet-like head, touched that it was concerned about her. 

Smiling lightly at the sight, Caitlin then prompted her question again.

“Tell me everything. What do you know?”

Feeling far more comfortable with Caitlin alone knowing of what she'd discovered, Cynthia held nothing back, informing her closest friend of what she knew from head to toe; she spoke of how Red had been cursed by a tragic incident that resulted in his isolation, and how it had continued to plague his life ever since; how the people around him feared him and how they felt guilty of not understanding him despite all that had transpired.

“… I…” Caitlin could not stop her eyes from going any wider, “Wow. I… I don’t know what to say.” Cynthia’s Garchomp also let off a small growl, evidently surprised that one of the strongest Trainers it had ever fought—the young boy that it had met back many years ago when it was just a Gible—against had harboured such a cruel experience.

“I didn’t want to tell you because they told me it was best to keep the people who knew about this to a minimum.” Although she trusted Caitlin more than anyone else among her friends, she still felt guilty for having to reveal it. “I’ll trust you with this because you’re my best friend and you would’ve come to know anyway—but please don’t tell anyone else.”

“I understand why they wouldn’t want anyone else to know,” Caitlin suddenly felt bad about forcing the truth out from Cynthia. “Why you wouldn’t want me to know, as well. It would be a big hit to his reputation, and anyone foolish or cruel enough to dare his condition would be at a terrible risk, affecting even those unrelated.”

“I had no idea he’d been through something so horrible…” Even after some time of thinking it through, Cynthia could not digest the fact that a tragedy could exist of such a magnitude.

“Selfishly, I feel somewhat… better. Knowing that there’s someone like me out there.”

Caitlin met a glare from Cynthia, though she met it with a composed gaze, knowing that she could explain it to her.

“Of course, I don’t mean to say that I’m glad he’s been through all that… I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. It’s just that he and I are quite alike, even if he isn’t as lucky as I am to have the understanding about my condition, don’t you think? Though I’m admittedly a bit envious too. He willingly chose to be alone to protect others, even for something that I think he wasn’t really responsible for. To have the courage to take accountability like that… I don’t think I could’ve managed that.”

Caitlin, too, had been feared by her peers due to her abnormally powerful psychic abilities, and how it risked the lives of all those around her and left them at the whims of her volatile mood, causing her to become spoiled and those around her to be fearful of her. Through that time she had sought acceptance and companionship, blaming the world for not being able to accommodate her, and eventually herself for being born with such powers.

Cynthia found herself shedding a tear yet again, a tear that she hadn’t shed upon learning the news first hand. Her Garchomp quickly knelt before her to ask her if everything was alright, but it was Caitlin who next spoke, a wry smile on her face.

“Well, I can’t say I see you like this so often. It’s refreshing, admittedly.” Caitlin was usually the one to cry on her shoulder and take solace in Cynthia in the past, and it was for the Unova Elite Four member’s greatest pleasure to be able to do the same in return. She gently wiped Cynthia’s eyes as she slowly composed herself. “What did you remember?”

“Something Blue said. He said Red wanted to distance himself from me.”

“Then he’s scared, too. Rightfully so, in fact, because he doesn’t want to hurt others… doesn’t want to hurt you, especially with the esteem you hold him in. You should understand why he did it, and it’s certainly not because he’s disgusted by you or anything.”

Someone like that would definitely want to distance himself away from others for fear of hurting them, and it was evident that Red felt he was undeserving of Cynthia’s good view of him. The fact that he mentioned that he was no longer the same person she’d met that day was all the more clear to her now.

“Well, disregarding what Blue himself said, Red offered you that jacket in the hopes you’d return it. Doesn’t that signify that he’s at least expecting to meet you once again?”

“I know he’s given me that chance. That’s not why I’m acting like this, though…”

“Then why are you upset?”

“It’s because I _doubted_ him.” After a day of taking in so many unexpected revelations, she finally came to understand what the pit of upsetting feelings broiling within her was. “I doubted him. I doubted him while Lisia didn’t, even though she had far more reason to.”

“Lisia?” Caitlin asked, puzzled. “Are you telling me that you know of her stance on the matter?”

“She’s… she’s forgiven him. She’s invited Red to Hoenn for the festival the region is holding.”

Caitlin paused, administering the thought. “I see. Looks like we have to keep an eye on the news tomorrow. But you didn’t doubt him last night, did you? And he’s told you of what happened, and as far as what you’ve told me, he would have been willing to tell you the rest if you hadn’t stopped him back then. Would you have reacted the same way if he’d have told you everything himself?”

“You didn’t doubt him either. That admittedly also makes me feel a bit bad, but…”

“That’s because of what I’ve been through. Though that shouldn’t make you any different. You’ve been with me for long enough, haven’t you? You stood by me even as everyone feared me when I couldn’t control my powers. You’ve plenty of experience being with someone like that, so why should he be any different?”

She didn’t fear or care about what others thought of her interacting with and appreciating him.

“Cynthia, I understand that after everything that’s happened, you’re terrified of losing anyone you care about, and he’s no exception. You hesitated because you were scared of losing him, weren’t you?”

The fear she held toward Red was one that came from how he seemed to make such a big impact in her life, but how he would immediately disappear before she could spend any meaningful time with him, as to more or less return the favour.

“He’s just so different. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met in my life.” He was the first who’d ever humbled her in her seemingly perfect world, and it was through him that she’d gained the many teachings and motivations. Even as the two grew and fulfilled their childhood promise, Red had triumphed her on the big stage once more, where he’d given.

“Well, what _is_ he to you? We’ve already gone through that this morning and you said you didn’t know, of course. All I know is… it’s certainly not an attachment you already have with any of your friends, or your sister… or with me.” Her voice waned near the end of the sentence, admitting a particular dissatisfaction at the special place Red held in the heart of her best friend.

What _was_ he to her?

She couldn’t refute Caitlin’s statement. Red indeed held a special place in her heart that she reserved for no one else, and not exclusively. Her feelings for him were not one of exclusive respect or adoration, and she knew that full well last night when she'd appreciated his one sweet gesture of giving her his jacket amidst the cold of the Giant Chasm. And then there were her constricting feelings that came when she'd seen him with Lisia, a desire for idiosyncrasy that Lisia had quickly carved into him that she had not yet dared to attempt.

“I’m still unsure about what it is," She said. Knowing that she was unsure in itself was a step in discovering what it was she wanted or saw in him. "Though I guess it’s about time I found out.”

Seeing the resolve Cynthia had gained, Caitlin took Cynthia into a hug, which she returned wholeheartedly. The two lingered within that emotional moment for a moment before they separated. “That’s my girl.”

“Thank you,” Cynthia genuinely appreciated what Caitlin had done for her, and Cynthia's Garchomp also gladdened at the sight of its Trainer feeling better. "I guess I’ll go see him again when he comes back.”

Caitlin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to wait until he comes back. At least, coincidence might spare you the wait. We could always go to Hoenn tomorrow. Shauntal mentioned wanting to go there, actually, so you could join us if you want. We were thinking about inviting Skyla and Elesa to go with us too.”

“Huh? But why would you guys want to go to Hoenn?” Cynthia could not really understand the idea of heading to Hoenn given that they weren’t really involved in the festivities of the region.

“It’s getting chilly here, and there’s not a lot to do at this time of year, anyway. I’d like to enjoy as much sun as the year will allow, and heading to Hoenn for a while would be a good change of pace.”

Compared to the autumn that had long befallen the Unova region and would likely delve into snow within the coming weeks, Hoenn was still summery this time of year, and the region happened to be the closest region to Unova compared to Sinnoh and the other foreign regions. It wouldn’t seem like a bad idea to go there even if Red weren’t involved, and it was possible that Trainers from other regions would have the same idea.

“So what do you say?” Caitlin asked. “I know it seems a bit pushy, but you could always just have fun with us.”

She went into thought. There was little to lose by going there, if only to enjoy herself with her friends, but the unknown surrounding him would likely bother her from fully making the most of such enjoyment.Remembering their last exchange at the Mistralton runway, she knew that he’d smiled at her when their eyes met, however faintly, something he’d never done throughout the recent times they’d interacted with one another. There was the expectation of her to return it, but was that the mere extent of their incoming interaction?

There was only one way to find out.

Cynthia glanced at the jacket she kept in her closet for a moment, before she returned her gaze to Caitlin and smiled. “Very well, then.”

 


	8. Chapter 7: Fear Begets Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cynthia and her friends arrive at Hoenn for the summer festival, but to Cynthia, had the decision been for better or worse?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really have to apologise for my lack of activity lately. I've gotten a job that I couldn't find myself to refuse, but that doesn't mean I'll be neglecting this altogether. At the same time, this chapter and the next are extremely important chapters--you'll get it once you've read them. Also, I'll note that I'll be changing my release date to be on Wednesdays. This will be updated in the opening note summary as well. :) 
> 
> Also, keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter: like I said, I've commissioned art for it, and the next chapter's also going to be very important content wise.

**Earth and Sky Chapter 7: Fear Begets Courage**

“Now for dessert!” Cassandra banged the fork and knife she was holding in both hands onto the table, the gleeful smile on her face marred by bits of unfinished food between her teeth and around her mouth. The plate before her was not empty, though it was only occupied by a side of drizzled lettuce leaves and Tamato berries.

“In a moment, Cassandra,” Cynthia winced at Cassandra’s messy eating, holding out her napkin and wiping her sister’s face clean. She then tapped her own fork at the unfinished food on Cassandra’s plate, urging her impatient younger sister to finish her vegetables. “Finish it, or you won’t be having any.” 

Pouting, Cassandra reluctantly forced her salad down her throat, eliciting amused looks from Caitlin and Shauntal as they looked on while finishing the last few bites of the food on their own plates.

Amidst the clattering sound of silverware, the Sinnoh Champion and her younger sister had just finished their entrees in the Devon Hotel dining room, accompanied by their two friends from the Unova Elite Four. The group had decided to spend the free weekend by attending the summer-end festival which was to be held in Hoenn’s Slateport City, and although they were not present with them at lunch, fellow Unova Gym Leaders Elesa and Skyla had also come with them, the two of whom had split up from them early to see the sights following their arrival. As per the occasion, all the hotels in Slateport had been completely occupied, and even the next best option, Mauville City, was not spared any accommodation especially given the city’s higher technological presence and close proximity to the host city. It might have been impossible for them to find a proper place to retire due to the sudden decision to go to Hoenn, but to their fortune, Cynthia and the others had found themselves a stay in Rustburo City’s Devon Hotel, owned by the company of the same name—the Devon Corporation.

Having been served the establishment’s signature roast beef with a side of soup and salad, their late lunch for the day had been delicious, and the Trainers’ Pokemon were equally well fed as the spacious dining room reserved for their use allowed them to eat together with their Trainers. Jervis and Darach had ensured that their check-in to the hotel was discreet, and the hotel staff arranged their best services for them, knowing that they were very famed guests that would attract too much attention if word of their arrival spread. Apart from their own accomplished reputations as powerful Pokemon Trainers, Shauntal was a renowned novelist and Cynthia’s reputation spanned beyond Sinnoh and her status as the region’s Champion: paparazzi and zealous fans who knew of their arrival would definitely cause undesired commotions.

A few minutes passed before a group of waitresses and a Flareon arrived with their desserts on the table: after clearing the dishes on the table, they served alaskas, pastries filled with Razz Berry Ice Cream and finished with whipped meringue on top. Along with the desserts, the waitresses brought with them pots of alcohol: the Fire-type Pokemon gently lit up the pots and the waitresses poured the burning liquid onto the meringue, covering it in a fading blue fire. Although the dessert already tasted delicious on its own, the flaming process would firm up the creamy topping that would complement the rest of the dessert perfectly; minutes of waiting would make all the difference.

After the waitresses finished flambéing their desserts, they gave their regards and departed to tend to other tables in the establishment. Another entered the room as the staff of workers departed, and it was then that Cynthia and her two friends caught sight of a familiar face. They recognized him as heir to the Devon Corporation—the son of the owner of the very establishment they were dining in—as well as the Hoenn Champion.

It was Steven Stone, and he appeared to have arrived at their dining hall knowing they were present.

“Well, this is certainly a pleasant surprise,” He walked up to the table to initiate a handshake. He held a mesmerizing smile stressed by his handsome features, and the table’s guests could not help but smile back at him. “Imagine my reaction when I’d heard from my staff that you’d arrived! It’s nice to see you all here.”

“Good to see you, Steven.” Cynthia shook the fellow Champion’s hand, followed by Shauntal and Caitlin, whereas Cassandra simply nodded shyly. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been well, though the combination of the World Tournament and the local holiday has kept me very busy. I’ve been asked to help with some administrative duties in the hotel since it’s far more crowded during this time of year. I take it that you’re all here for the festival?”

“That we are,” Caitlin said. “Will you be enjoying the festival at Slateport later tonight?”

“I’m afraid not. I’ll be spending the evening with my father and my family,” Steven’s voice softened slightly as he scratched his head. “As I would every year. I’m sure the festivities will be enjoyable, but such is my custom for the holiday.”

“I see,” Cynthia gave him a sympathetic smile. Cynthia knew that Steven’s family bound him with their whims through the time she had acquainted with him, and knew this caused his family to keep a watchful eye over him,despite his luxuries. “All the same, I hope it will be enjoyable.”

“Of course. And speaking of enjoyment, I hope you’re all enjoying your food and your stay,” Abruptly, Steven’s smile faded slightly,  and he appeared as though he’d remembered something, something that did not go unnoticed by the three guests in the room.

“Is something the matter?” Caitlin asked, “You look as if something crossed your mind.”

“It’s nothing,” Steven suddenly reached for the stacks of papers set on the side of the hall. “I’m not sure if you’re all aware, but it’s just the news on the paper today… it’s as if no one can get enough of it.”

As Steven placed the daily newspaper on the table, the four girls leaned forward to read the capitalized headline on the front page. Their eyes grew to be as wide as the saucers that had been taken away just a short moment ago.

_ “The King of Battling and the Queen of Contests: Red and Lisia’s Miraculous Love Story?” _

Cynthia’s fingers released the spoon she was holding  for her dessert earlier, but she managed to collect it before it could fall to the floor. Her eyes immediately darted to the content below, of which Shauntal began to read out loud:

“Locally beloved Contest Idol Lisia makes her end-summer Hoenn tour debut in her Lilycove Conference with an unexpected guest: the three-time Champion of the Pokemon World Tournament. Following a stunning rematch of Lisia’s exhibition battle against Red in the Lilycove Conference, rumours have been mushrooming that the two have grown to be romantically involved.”

“The two seem on the verge of a blossoming relationship generally well received by the public, though a portion of the Hoenn idol’s fans are left perplexed at Lisia’s decision following the aftermath of Lisia’s exhibition battle against Red yesterday in the Pokemon World Tournament. Although the details of their reconciliation are uncertain, eyewitnesses claim that Lisia had invited Red to Hoenn on holiday before her return in Unova’s Mistralton City following Red’s recovery from their exhibition battle accident, which leads to the assumption that the two had already made amends by that point or earlier.”

“When asked for explanations regarding the unexpected development, Lisia’s uncle and current Hoenn Champion Wallace, whom had sparred with the World Champion to a stunning victory by the latter, gave this statement: ‘During and even before their exhibition battle, Lisia was already quite taken with our Kanto guest. It’s not something a negligible accident could hope to change, and his visit was meant for the two to make amends with one another.’”

Caitlin rolled her eyes as Shauntal finished reading; the novelist immediately began scribbling on her notebook after reading the paper with an unusually inspired glint in her eyes. Before Cynthia realized it, her Garchomp had also approached the  table to read the headline along with them, and it was evidently confused by the news.

“Amazing plot device!” Shauntal could not resist the smile she wore on her face at the news. “I’ve got to write this down!”

“You’re supposed to be an expert at this stuff, Shauntal. You’re really going to take the word of some exaggerated press release with no evidence?”

Cynthia found herself internally agreeing with Caitlin despite her own concerns; she had been unusually keen when it came to the Hoenn Idol’s interactions with Red, but she doubted that such an attachment would grow so quickly, especially after what had transpired yesterday...

“I wouldn’t really say no evidence,” Steven interjected. He walked toward the wall nextto him where a remote was inlaid in the wall, turning on the TV installed opposite where he was standing.  “Quite the opposite, actually. See for yourself.”

As Cynthia turned to the TV on display on the wall beside her, however, her excuse to think otherwise seemed to disappear almost immediately.

“Come on, Red! Say ahh~” Lisia’s jubilantly sweet voice came first, and the TV display showed a scene focused on Lisia as she held a spoonful of cake toward Red’s mouth. Her hand was on his chin and her face wore a beaming smile, merely inches away from Red’s own face. Even through the TV, one could notice the rare spectacle of the typically emotionless Red looking really embarrassed from the gesture, but he relented and took the spoon into his mouth, earning another shining smile from the Hoenn idol.

One could only imagine the jealousy Lisia’s fans went through at witnessing such a scene, but more than that, Cynthia could not resist the frown on her face that came with seeing Red acting so closely with Lisia. Even during the exhibition battle yesterday, Cynthia had found the Hoenn idol to be extremely forward when it came to Red, and while she had been no stranger to physical contact with him herself, the scene seemed to always drive itself through her chest and twist it from the inside. Cynthia respected that Lisia was fearless—almost to a fault—but she could fathom how she could push herself on Red so easily.

There was a fleeting comfort that Red didn’t appear as though he was enjoying the whole experience—but it didn’t last long, for the scene didn’t end there. Cream from the cake stained the sides of Lisia’s toothy smile, and perhaps due to the expectant viewers and the flashing of cameras that surrounded him, he raised a napkin and wiped Lisia’s mouth clean. This elicited a blush and another smile from the idol—something that disheartened Cynthia even more. Lisia herself did not seem to mind the fact that they were being watched, as if she had no intention of denying the level of intimacy they now held.

“Does this confirm the hookup?” A reporter’s voice interrupted the scene. “Perhaps we’ll get to see more during Lisia’s concert at Slateport’s summer festival tonight at half past six this evening!” 

The news of the Hoenn idol’s hookup with the World Champion was the topic of not only the town, but possibly internationally; it was unexpected for the two to grow close given the event that facilitated their first meeting, which only added to the perplexing nature of the news.

Caitlin’s confidence suddenly trailed away as Steven shut off the TV. It was hard to believe, but at the very least, Lisia definitely showed signs of infatuation toward her friend’s love interest. “Well, that was unexpected.” 

“Well, Wallace isn’t lying—anyone could tell that she was smitten during their battle yesterday already,” Shauntal said, “And then there were indeed rumours about their reconciliation at Mistralton the previous evening. It would’ve ended there, but it seems Lisia’s not satisfied.”

“She’s free to do as she pleases, of course,” Steven said, placing the remote back to the wall. “And while  it’s good for both sides to make amends in public, I have my own reservations about the arrangement. I’ve heard that it was a case of lack of sleep, but somehow I’m not so sure about that explanation.”

Caitlin’s gaze darted to Cynthia upon hearing Steven’s presumption; the two knew full well the truth behind why Red had behaved the way he did during yesterday’s exhibition battle, and they both knew they needed to be quiet about it. There was a passing silence, eventually broken by Cynthia, who had stayed quiet ever since she’d read the paper. “The only thing left to do is to keep an eye on the two of them, if that’s really warranting your concern. Besides, he’s staying only until the next round occurs. I doubt that the news will linger for long.”

“Perhaps you’re right.” Steven suddenly looked at his watch and realized he was supposed to be in one of the conference rooms a minute or two ago. “Oh dear, I’ve stayed around for a little too long. I have some other matters to attend to. Do enjoy your dessert!”

With a wave, he fled the dining hall as the three ladies bade their goodbyes. 

“Rich, good-looking, heir to a famous company, and a Champion,” Caitlin couldn’t help but let out the fact as he watched Steven leave the hall. “No surprise any girl would want him, but Lisia’s got her own exotic eye, I’ll tell you that.”

“To each their own, why not? Red’s not the most sorry sight out here either," Shauntal said. While Red didn't exactly share Steven's good looks, he was taller and carried a powerful air about him that appealed to its own crowd of women. "Besides, Lisia’s the best the Contest industry can offer. It’s only fitting that she’d want the strongest Trainer in the world on her arm. The best of both worlds coming together, right?”

“Come on, Shauntal, you know there’s actual competition for that title this year,” Caitlin turned to Cynthia, knowing full well that she was definitely one to give him competition. 

Cassandra had already begun helping herself to her dessert near the end of their conversation, and the sounds she made while she ate invited Cynthia to return to her own alaska on her plate. The white on the meringue since browned from the fire, the color on its now firm surface presenting itself flawlessly and ready for eating before her; however, the Sinnoh Champion found that she wasn’t hungry anymore.

“Are you alright, Cynthia?” Caitlin asked. 

“I’m fine,” She mustered, but it was hard to hide the bitterness in her voice. 

“You’re jealous, Cynthia.” Caitlin found it hard to let the fact fly from her mouth despite her honesty. “Even if it’s not in the romantic sense yet.”

Jealous might have been the apt word for her feelings. More than that, however, she was more so disappointed in herself for being more reserved in her interactions with him. The need to compare came to her like a moth to a flame: did Red prefer someone bubbly and bright like Lisia as a partner, especially given his circumstances? Would she have to break through her shell of shyness to grab his attention the way Lisia had? 

Caitlin’s somber gaze turned to a scowl, one that came from the increasingly insufferable way Shauntal was muttering to herself and scribbling on her notebook at the many revelations that had occurred to her. She knocked her fellow Unovan colleague on her head, to which Shauntal turned to her with an unsatisfied pout.

“Hey! This is some really good stuff I’ve got my hands on here. Can’t you let me take some inspiration? Besides, I’m still not very happy about how I was excluded about the details of Cynthia’s encounter yesterday.”

“As I’ve told you, it’s best if we were considerate about their situation. Cynthia wasn’t really happy about having to tell me either. And come on, you’re honestly not going to believe that Red’s going to fall for someone he almost hurt, are you? Like Wallace said, it’s mostly just to clear his reputation, and Red’s obviously feeling indebted to Lisia and going off her whim because of it.”

“There’s no doubt Lisia’s into him though,” Shauntal retorted. “And that’s good enough for me.”

“Alright, you’re not helping this at all.”

“No, Caitlin. She’s right. It might be a good thing that Lisia’s in love with him—it means that there are people willing to forgive him. And it also means…”

Following the truth she’d learned from Professor Oak yesterday, Cynthia found that a concern stirred within her at the thought of how she felt toward Red; she feared what people would think of her feelings, especially given the controversy he’d held after the battle. As much as it hurt to see Lisia on his arm, she could not deny that there was relief in her that it was Lisia that was acting this way; it served as an inadvertent recognition to Cynthia that it wasn’t wrong of her to admire someone like Red despite his circumstances. 

Moreover, she had not been excluded from such an act of intimacy; Cynthia could not forget the fact that Red had given her his jacket the night before the first battle of the PWT, and it was something that would likely invite similar attention if it were let loose; Caitlin herself had advised her about keeping her personal encounter with him secret, the present news only serving as a reminder of the lengths the press would go for publicity and attention.

“It means that it’s not odd that you feel so deeply about him. That’s new from you,” Cynthia’s positivity seemed to surprise Caitlin.. “I like how you think, at least.”

“It’s as you’ve said, Cynthia,” Calming down from her surge of excitement, Shauntal noticed her inconsiderateness and spoke on a wiser note this time. “The whole thing will cool down after the festival. Eventually, the whole thing about their exhibition battle and this visit will just disappear into the past and be replaced by newer events. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get the opportunity to ask him yourself tonight. From what the news earlier said, Lisia’s having a concert at Slateport tonight. Unless Red decides to hide this one out, he certainly will attend the festival, if only for that reason.”

Cynthia administered the possibility that Shauntal had proposed carefully, knowing that an opportunity for her to return Red his jacket now presented itself; she'd brought it along with her to Hoenn considering such an opportunity. Still, what would happen if she went to the festival to look for him? The unthinkable came to her mind and her chest twisted at the notion of seeing yet another sight of Red and Lisia acting closer than she’d like to see, especially in public again. What would she see? When would be the right time to approach him if they somehow met each other at some random junction on the region's cities or streets? What would he think if he discovered that she’d come all the way here for him? 

Amidst her frighteningly imaginative thoughts, Cynthia found that she’d regained her appetite again, and she left the end of the conversation open as she scooped some meringue and ice cream and into her mouth; she found that her chest felt like the spoonful of dessert that tantalized her taste buds, a warm, crusty outside with an almost painful cold underneath.

* * *

Hoenn had welcomed Red with a warmth he had never experienced before, a warmth that was generous even for the city situated within a crater. It was warmer than any other region he’d ever been to, and many others had travelled to experience its longer-lasting summer, a momentary escape from the autumn that had befallen most of the other regions. Throughout his travels, Red had never seen a city where the sea and the earth melded so well together in harmony. The sea that divided the many sections of land and buildings of Sootopolis City was of an azure signature to the city compared to the aquatic blue he had seen throughout many other places he’d been to.

Shifting his gaze from the scenery outside the window, his gaze returned to the hotel room he had been given for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. Red knew that he’d only accepted the room out of the appreciation for Lisia and Wallace’s preparations, and had largely spent the previous night outside the room than inside it; the room was undeniably well-presented, but to Red, it was suffocating compared to the many other accommodations he lived in. The open grass was a far more welcoming bed than even the finest bed sheets, and the confining walls despite the room’s spaciousness gave off a feeling of restriction unlike the open spaces of the wilderness. He stood in his room soundlessly, and he found even the quiet atmosphere to be foreign; usually, the howl of the mountaintop blizzard would block out any thoughts he had, with the bitter cold an equally comforting sensation over the warm sunlight that slid through the window.

Without his typical mountain indulgences with him, Red’s mind went on with questions that he’d never thought to ponder for a very long time, if ever. He knew he’d arrived to Hoenn to make amends with Lisia, and he’d followed her all day through her tour of Hoenn in welcoming of the summer festival. His Contest Battle that day with Lisia in the Lilycove City Conference was a noteworthy compensation to what happened yesterday—at least, he felt it was such—but it also was a reminder that Lisia would’ve nearly gotten hurt if it weren’t for him.

Having been nearly occupied throughout the day, his thoughts went to the new girl who’d walked into his life, something that he’d inevitably had to think about, especially given that it was the first time Red had alone time that day. His interactions with Lisia have largely been accepted locally, but there were still people who faulted him for the arrangement: Lisia brushed off the cruel reminder of how he’d almost hurt her yesterday as a common jealousy some of her fans shared when Lisia ever got close to someone. Nevertheless, Red still wasn’t sure how people would interpret how he had to have his reputation salvaged by someone who he had wronged, finding various reasons to rationalize that he was wrong.  What would the public think? What would the Professor and Blue think?

What would  _ she _ think? Wait,  _ why _ —

Red’s thoughts dissipated as he turned to the knock on the door behind him, eyeing Wallace and another unknown person as they entered. The older, moustached man was tall, taller than even Red and Wallace, and dressed as extravagantly as Wallace was.

“I hope you’re enjoying your stay here,” Wallace said.

“It’s very grand,” Red didn’t mean that as a compliment, but the honest way he said that let the sentence pass off as one all the same. “Thank you.”

The older man beside Wallace bowed slightly, to which then Wallace introduced him. “This is Juan, my mentor.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance,” The Sootopolis Gym Leader’s accent was heavy, and the way he extended his hand was also rather flamboyant. “I was surprised to hear you’d decided to stay in our humble abode, but it’s an honour to house someone as accomplished as yourself.”

Red took his hand and nodded. “Likewise.” His choice of words was not uncalled for: to have mentored Wallace was an accomplishment that definitely warranted respect, even if he met him for the first time.

Before any further exchanges continued, the door burst open once more, and Lisia entered. “And your favourite Contest Idol has arrived!”

“Don’t exhaust yourself, Lisia,” Wallace smiled in resignation at his niece’s sudden entrance, knowing that she’d rushed all the way here from the Lilycove Conference she was present at just a short moment ago. “I know you’re excited to see your darling guest here, but it’d wouldn’t do for your fans to see you all sweaty.”

“Phew, it took me a while to get out of there!” “Good to see you, too, Mr. Juan!”

“Oh, right! You’ll be coming to the concert later, won’t you?” There was an excited, hopeful gaze beyond Lisia’s blue eyes; and as Red's own eyes met hers, he found himself incapable of giving any other answer, and he nodded.

“Great! It’s a date, then! You’ll have to meet me after I finish my concert, though!” She exclaimed, striking what seemed to be a victorious pose. "I promise we’ll get to spend some time without a swarm of fans and papparazi with us! Bye!” She winked and bolted out of the room. 

“Forgive my niece,” Wallace chuckled wryly. He hadn't expected Red of all people to be someone that had to put up with Lisia's antics, but he found the idea amusing nonetheless. “Perhaps a phone call would've been better, but apparently, you don't use one," Wallace remembered how Lisia had pestered him on the phone about whether he could get Red's number for her, but he'd replied that Red wasn't the type to keep in contact like that; he'd offered to ask Red in her stead, but his niece insisted that she could come all the way to ask him herself. "I hope she hasn’t been too smothering.”

"It's fine," Red said, albeit with a look that was more hesitant than dismissive. It was a look that Wallace was used to seeing by now, a look of remorse and hesitation that came with how he'd accepted their hospitality despite the guilt he harbored. The current Hoenn Champion's expression softened at his struggle, and even for someone as jubilant as he was, Wallace found himself incapable of maintaining his good worldview in the face of the truth he'd learned from Professor Oak.

“I know you have your own concerns about this,” Wallace said, “But please know that neither of us hold it against you, especially given how she’d forced the issue herself. If anything, I should be grateful that you’ve agreed to our amicable way to settle the matter.”

“No,” Red gave a look that seemed to tell Wallace that it wasn’t ideal to discuss the matter at present. “It’s just…”

“There’s no need for fear, Red.” Juan’s smile abruptly disappeared with Wallace's, knowing that he had to disclose the truth eventually. “I’ve already known everything from Wallace, though I apologize to have intruded myself into the matter." 

Despite Professor Oak’s insistence, Wallace had decided it would be harmless for Juan to know about the truth behind Red’s behaviour during the previous exhibition battle. Red's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, but he could not fault Wallace for it.

“You’re acting like my sister,” Wallace said, “In an ironic twist of trying to take the blame rather than shove it. I admit she wasn’t very pleased about the arrangement, but she’s bound to understand eventually. Even then, it may be for the better that you’ve arrived here, yes?”

Had everything transpired smoothly the day before, would Lisia have invited him to Hoenn? And even if she’d planned to do so from the very beginning, would Red be anywhere near as obligated to come if it weren’t for the guilt that still festered within him at his nearly costly mistake?

“It’s as I’ve always told Wallace: it’s the harshest rains that make the greatest rainbows. And throughout thick and thin you remain still at the peak of our world of Pokemon battling. Perhaps that is the fruit of your struggles, to have fought battles that we have not and thus the strength you have that’s beyond anyone's reach."

Red had yet to say anything. Wallace knew full well that Red thought himself undeserving of the care he was being given, even if Lisia had not invited Red here out of compassion; it was something that Red was slow to pick up on, but perhaps he was in denial of the attachment his niece had for him.

“I just hope that you’ll find your own happiness one day,” Wallace muttered, the words genuine. He pondered on the idea if her niece would be capable of that change, the new outlook in the Champion's life that he needed. “Even if you loathe yourself to the point where you loathe the very day that happens itself.”

* * *

“Come on, Cynthia! We’re going to be late!” Shauntal’s voice called from outside the dressing room door.

“Just a moment,” Cynthia said, “I’ll be coming out now.”

As Cynthia’s friends awaited Cynthia’s appearance, they were not disappointed by what came out of the dressing room after the Sinnoh Champion finished dressing up. The yukata she wore was black with pink floral decorations; golden, sparkly trimmings lined the collar of the robe, and in a rare spectacle, Cynthia had tied her hair up behind her. Cassandra and the group of her Unovan friends, also dressed in yukata of different colors and adornments, marvelled at the new look Cynthia donned on herself; even in the presence of Elesa and Skyla, both of who were deemed highly attractive, she was undeniably beautiful.

“You are absolutely stunning,” Caitlin said.

Cynthia smiled back bashfully.

The flood of sound and activity that enveloped Slateport City, which only grew even more fervent as they entered the main festival grounds that started from the intersection near the Cycling Road dwarfed the intensity of the rays of the summer sunset. As she passed by the landmark, Cynthia reminded herself that she needed to attempt the course sometime, for she was an avid cyclist that loved to challenge the various courses available to her since she was young. 

It didn't take them a very long time of walking for Cynthia and the group to detect the tension surrounding them; they could feel the gazes focused on them from the surrounding crowd. The group eventually realized that they were attracting more attention than they would’ve liked; they might have even come across as recognizable, and even if they weren't, five well-dressed and beautiful women touring the streets with an equally adorable young girl by their side was a foreign, albeit welcome sight for the passersby. 

“Maybe we should split up,” Elesa suggested, “I think it’ll be way too obvious if we’re walking together. It's a shame that we can't exactly enjoy the full trip, but let's meet up somewhere after an hour or two. Would that be fine?"

“Maybe that will be for the best.” “So what do you guys plan to do?”

“I wanna play some games,” Cassandra, tugging on her sister’s hand. “I heard that there are some stalls that provide Tynamo scooping here!”

“It’s too dangerous,” Cynthia said, “Tynamo are dangerous and can shock you, and—”

“Only if they’re in very large groups, Cynthia. Otherwise they’re quite frail, unless you happen to meet my Tynamo, of course.” Elesa corrected.

“Come on, Cynthia, don’t be a letdown.” Skyla said, giggling at her over-protectiveness. “We’ll go over to the stalls over there and find some, Cassandra.”

Cassandra’s face lit with joy before she turned to Cynthia with a smug smile on her face. “Maybe you should learn a thing or two from Elesa and Skyla about being an older sister,” Cassandra teased. The comment caused Cynthia to flush in a mix of embarrassment and slight anger, whereas the other girls laughed at the comment.

“She’ll be fine,” Skyla said, and Cynthia found her worry eased by the smile the Mistralton Gym Leader gave her, radiant as the sun even as the sky gradually grew darker. “She’s been a good girl during our flight the other day. How about you, Cynthia? Where do you wanna go?”

Cynthia turned to the east, where the structure of the harbour was visible even through the lined-up stalls and wave of people, if the boats and yachts it housed did not indicate its location. There was a recognizable singing voice from a microphone, one that they could hear amidst all the other bustling noises, one that Hoenn knew and loved all too well. 

Lisia’s concert was underway just a short distance away from them. It wouldn’t hurt for her to drop by, even if she wouldn’t be there to watch Lisia herself.

Caitin placed a hand on her shoulder, as if to encourage her it was alright if she wanted to go.

“I guess I’ll head toward the harbor. I heard it’s still open, so there could be some interesting things near the museum.” As one of Slateport City's main landmarks, the excuse didn't come out as odd or unusual. 

“If that’s your idea of fun, then!” Shauntal exclaimed. “Caitlin and I will just see where our feet take us.”

“Have fun, everyone!” And with that, Cynthia split up with the group, hoping they would be safe.

_ Good luck _ , Caitlin thought.

* * *

The spacious compound behind Slateport Harbour was the venue for Lisia’s concert, and a massive wave of fans pooled before the stage that blocked the typical view of the open sea behind it, as well as the various ships and yachts docked there. On a specially prepared and vividly decorated stage stood the idol herself; having found herself incapable of refusing her fans' cries for an encore, the evening was progressing longer than she'd expected, but she sang and danced like a star, her partner Pokemon Ali shining just as brightly as she was amidst the contrast of the dimming light of the sky and the radiance of the spotlight and sea of rippling glow sticks. The cheers of the crowd could not go above the voice of Lisia's voice through the microphone, which only added to their fervor and excitement as the idol and her zealous fans sparred with their voices for dominance. 

The concert that evening was one of the various activities she'd had to partake it throughout her summer home tour, alongside her main conferences in Lilycove, Mauville, and several other cities in Hoenn; despite being a Contest idol, Lisia’s popularity had grown so quickly throughout her career that new offers popped up daily, such as being asked to engage in commercials, singing and other activities that would add to her status. The Slateport concert was her final destination for the tour, but it was also her busiest; Slateport was the annual venue for the end-summer festival, and it meant that there would be a far greater expectation and excitement, especially with the arrival of both local and foreign fans alike, evident through the abnormally large size of the crowd in front of her.

Even as Lisia revelled in the rush of singing and dancing for her fans atop the stage—a sensation she found herself incapable of being tired of—her mind seemed occupied even as she stood before her massive group of fans cheering on for her that evening. She traced back to a conversation she’d had with Chaz, a friend of hers, in the Lilycove dressing room that afternoon.

* * *

“Come on, Lisia! We were supposed to go to the festival today later, weren’t we?” Their conversation had started with another topic in the Lilycove dressing room as she finished her conference, but she first remembered Chaz pestering her about the festival as she busied herself with her makeup.

“I’m sorry, Chaz, but I already have plans with Red after the concert at the festival. Maybe I’ll make it up to you some other time.”

“I doubt you’ve even told him about any of your plans yet, have you?” 

“I’ll just head by Sootopolis or give him a call and he’ll go with me later, no biggie. I have to show him around while he’s here! I’m sure Red’s going to love the festival in Slateport tonight! Oh, what should I have him wear? The dresser's going to be arriving later in Mauville and—"

“Ever since he’s come here, it’s been ‘Red this, Red that’ from you,” Chaz interrupted, exasperated. “He’s just a guest, isn’t he? Maybe you should leave him alone, let him see the sights for himself. He looks like the kind of person who'd like that anyway." 

“Which I’ve given him! And he’s not just a guest,” As Lisia continued talking about Red, she ignored the sigh that Chaz had exaggeratedly let out. “He’s the one I’ve been looking for! Oh, it must’ve been fate that arranged all this! I knew just as much when we battled earlier! I know I didn’t get to see it yesterday, but I just knew that I would've absolutely adored what he had in store for me!” The thought of that battle had made her squeal on the spot; Lisia's Lilycove Conference had proceeded with a rematch between Lisia and Red, and this time, it had been the battle that Lisia was expecting: much like he'd done against her uncle Wallace, Red had used his Espeon against Ali this time, and the way Red used her Altaria’s own attacks to create his own beautiful ones had left her breathless, showing that he could battle with as much grace and beauty just as he could in strength. 

“As always, you think way too far ahead without realizing that not everything can go your way. Besides, you’re getting way too chummy with him, don’t you think? I think the media’s making a lot of bold assumptions about you two right now. Don’t you think that’s bad for the both of you?”

“Well, let them! It’s not like they’re completely wrong, right?”

“Wait, are you serious?” Chaz’s eyes seemed to pop at Lisia’s casual reaction, replacing his uninterested, bored look with one of almost dramatic surprise. “Are you really intending on pursuing a relationship with him?”

“Mhm! That’s exactly what I intend to do at the festival tonight!” She was just about finished with her lipstick as she finally twirled and looked at Chaz, wearing the brightest smile on her pinking face as her mind went wild with the prospects of the night. "It's going to be such a fantastic evening: not the fanciest idea, but there'll be lights, romance, all that wonderful jazz! Oh, what do I call this chapter… 'Heart to Heart: An Idol's Night Out!' Oh, no, there's surely something better...."

"Enough with the chapter naming and your enthusiasm," Following the irritated way Chaz let out that statement, he clasped his hands and fluttered his eyes in a mocking imitation. "Are you sure you're just going to go 'Oh, Red, go out with me!' and he'll accept without a fuss?"

Chaz's last sentence seemed to slap reality back into Lisia, and she suddenly stopped babbling to herself. Having been too excited with everything that had transpired following Red's arrival to her home region, Lisia had not once considered the possibility that her friend had proposed. She'd went about the day with the comfort that Red was indifferent or accepting to whatever she'd invited him to; he'd even obliged to their tea date earlier that morning, which was the main source of the rumours of their newfound intimacy which she assumed Red himself did not mind whatsoever. 

But had his actions been genuine? Or was he....

“Look, Chaz, I…” She tried to maintain her bubbly demeanour despite being caught in a moment of hesitation, but the smile on her face was fading fast. “Alright, I won't know until I try, you got me there, but surely he'll at least consider it after all the time we've spent today? You can’t deny that behind all that he’s still fantastic on our own turf, and the publicity would be good for the both of us. It'd be an opportunity of a lifetime!”

“Yeah, yeah, you're you, and he's the best at the battling business, it was all over the news today.” Chaz walked up to his admired rival and looked her in the eye, wanting her to listen to every word. “The fact remains that he could’ve hurt you yesterday. And if I haven't made myself clear enough, I was really worried about that. He’s only here because he feels guilty about it, don’t you think? It’s not like he’s enjoying all this.” 

“What makes you say that?" Lisia's smile had long disappeared at this point of the conversation. "And that's something I intend to fix, which is exactly why I’ve asked him over in the first place. It’s not like I was completely innocent during the whole thing anyway." Chaz had never seen Lisia make such a guilty expression before, and she turned around, twiddling her fingers. "It was my fault it all happened, after all And tonight's the night I'll make it right."

"Don't be foolish," Chaz said, reaching an arm toward her shoulder. "He's the one who almost hurt you back there. There was no way you could have known he'd do that. Don't waste your efforts on someone like—"

"It's not his fault, okay!"

 Lisia paused at how she'd raised her voice at Chaz, something that she'd rarely, if ever, done. While Chaz was not unfamiliar with Lisia's fits once in a while, the way Lisia had let that sentence out struck him harder than any of the times she'd ever vented at him. 

"It's not his fault this all happened..." She muttered, "I'm sorry, Chaz, but… this is what I have to do. It's what I  _ want _ to do."

"You don't know what you want until you actually get the experience," Chaz said, after a sigh. "I don't want to be presumptuous, but I heard you know the truth of what happened. Apparently it's not okay to tell me about it though, is it?" Chaz turned to leave the dressing room, knowing that it was futile to argue with Lisia and she would likely be convinced only when the time came. "Whatever explanation you got, I don't buy it until you tell me. Though I guess we'll continue our conversation until after you get your answer from him.”

* * *

Although it hadn’t affected her performance and the idol’s smile she maintained for all eyes on her, Lisia had felt uncertain following her discussion with Chaz. Red’s reputation had been inadvertently affected by her persistence to continue with that exhibition battle, but despite that Red’s insistence to shoulder the blame upset her, and she was even more afraid that he’d grow distant from her over the accident.

She'd scanned the faces as best he could while singing and dancing, even taking an occasional look at the sky above, seeing if she could detect his arrival, to be happy over the fact that he'd come to her biggest concert of the night—but he had not come. 

After giving a farewell speech thanking her fans for coming to the concerts and spurring them to enjoy the festivities, Lisia hid a rare sigh as she departed the stage and went into the private dressing room meant for her. Perhaps she let loose knowing that this would be her final commitment for the night, and did not have to wear the idol's smile she needed to in front of her crowd of fans that loved her. 

As Lisia opened the door, her eyes widened to see Red leaning against the wall within. He appeared t have been waiting for her to finish her performance.

“Red!” She was surprised to see him, but rushed up to him, glad that he did come after all. “I was expecting you to make an appearance outside…”

“I didn’t want to stick out," He muttered. He had an unusual smile on his face, one that Lisia knew that he tried to force for her sake. “I was watching you from backstage the whole time. You wanted alone time, remember?”

“I guess you’re right there,” Lisia could not find any excuse to refute him, knowing that Red had watched her concert, even if it wasn’t the way she wanted him to. “I’ll go get changed and we’ll be ready to go! Still, you’re not going to go around the festival like that, are you?”

Red’s brow raised at the suggestive question. He was never one for dressing up, and especially not in Lisia’s fashion-ridden wardrobe.

“Come on, I’ll get you dressed up in a jiffy!” Lisia smiled gleefully as she tugged on his arm and dragged him somewhere, knowing that she had prepared the scenario for tonight as elaborately as she could.

Lisia had taken him to the Pokemon Center, which was less crowded that night due to the festival; it had been easy for her to reserve it, and its proximity to her concert stage meant that the two went on unnoticed. It was there that the two changed their attires to those that Lisia had carefully chosen for them for the night. Lisia was wearing a bright red yukata with yellow blossom decorations, while Red’s yukata was a swamp green color with no decorations, a dull contrast to Lisia’s own vivid attire. Her turquoise hair was flowing freely in contrast to the style she usually wore, and instead of the cheery face she usually wore with her, her exterior was replaced by a Swablu's mask. 

Red raised a brow at the sight, mildly amused. 

"How do I look?" Lisia twirled in her yukata. Many would have preferred that the idol say so without wearing her mask, but Red only nodded approvingly.

"You could've at least said something. Girls really care about what others think of how they look, you know?" Lisia giggled, mildly disheartened that he had little to say; but perhaps it was in his nature. If Lisia lived on a mountain alone with no one to talk to, would anyone expect her to be anywhere near as loquacious as she was now? 

"We don't want to be recognized out there, so let's wear some of these masks," Lisia said, offering her a choice of masks she'd selected for the occasion. Among them were masks of quadruped Pokemon, such as Poochyena and Zigzagoon; among the selection, Red was drawn to the Pikachu mask that Lisia offered her for a moment. It took Lisia a few moments before she'd remembered how Red had lost his own Pikachu, and perhaps he was being reminded of such a painful experience.

"Oh, Red..." She gasped at her silliness. "I'm sorry, I—"

Red shook his head, as if the remembrance didn't matter to him at all. He willingly chose the mask and put it on, understanding the goodwill that came with Lisia's offer; she understood that they needed to disguise themselves, and with Red’s face completely covered by his Pikachu mask, few would also suspect him wearing an outfit outside the one he usually wore. Although Red was comfortable with its simplicity, however, the attire felt unsafe, as there was no practical way to store his Pokeballs in the yukata, and they had to be kept in temporary storage by the Pokemon Center. Reluctantly accepting the situation, Red brought one Pokemon—his Espeon—along as an escort.

"Shall we go?" Lisia extended a hand, spurring Red to take it. Wordlessly, he relented once more, but Lisia found her fingers wrapping tightly on Red's hand with less reciprocity; perhaps it came with the first time she took his hand without the cover of his gloves, and apart from the cold sensation it bore, albeit one she had been accustomed to, she could feel the roughness of his hands, unlike anything she'd ever felt before. They were a symbol of the strength he'd garnered throughout his years, but Lisia could feel something prick at her heart with the way the scars riddled the skin on his hands. She assessed the newfound touch momentarily, but decided she would focus on the joys of the festivities: after all, she finally was alone with him, and it was going to be the start of a night that she didn't want to forget. 

The two walked across the streets without fuss, a comforting start to their date in the festival. Even with their masks obscuring their faces, they were wearing yukata of colors that they usually weren’t known for wearing; Red would pass as merely another common member of the festivities, while Lisia was dressed in a shade of bright red, much like the name of the man whose hand she tightly wrapped her fingers around as she excitedly sprinted across the festival streets. The gesture made her question the idea that came to her head, enjoying the passing thought: even though their personas were hidden, did the two resemble a young couple to those around them?

As they passed by one of the game stalls near the Pokemon Center, Lisia was immediately drawn to the Altaria doll that hung on one of the shelves.

“Oh, oh, oh, it’s so cute!” Her voice was sweet and clear even through the mask she wore, though she hoped it wasn't recognizable. “It would be a perfect reminder of my Altaria! I want it!”

“Try your hand at three shots and you’ll get it if you knock it over, missy!”  The stall operator said.

Determined, Lisia handed over a coin to the vendor, and she was given three silver balls to knock the doll over. The shelf where the doll stood on towered over her slightly; she took a first shot at the doll, but it was too low to hit the target; the second was another miss, though she had assessed her distance well by then. Her attempts were hasty, unrefined; as she gave her final shot, she managed a soft hit on the doll, but she didn’t manage to knock it over.

“Better luck next time, miss.” Although the mask showed no sign of it, the man knew that the girl was pouting over her failed attempt, made clear through the dissatisfied humming noises she was making.

“Again!” Refusing to give up, Lisia was prepared to give another coin for another try, but Red stopped her, instead handing a coin of his own to the storekeeper. Lisia watched on expectantly, curious to see if Red could have a better shot at winning the prize than she did.

The owner handed over a round of three balls to try his hand on; to the owner’s surprise, however, he took only one and stared at the target Lisia had coveted—a few moments passed before his arm flung the ball forward, the swift motion sending the ball flying straight toward the desired target, the fluffy doll landing on the floor soundlessly.  

The mask she wore hid the wide smile Lisia wore upon seeing Red's get the doll in one shot. “Oh, wow! You did it! Thank you, Re—” She quickly stopped herself, realizing that she could’ve almost exposed him.

Happily hugging the fluffy Altaria doll, Lisia enjoyed the journey walking with Red alone in the festival without the smothering company of fans and news reporters that constantly surrounded her. Inevitably, however, the doubt began to sink in, knowing that while she did indeed enjoy the festival more so than any other year she'd hid herself, what was Red's stance on the matter? 

What did he feel, walking with her throughout the festival? It was something she doubted she would get an answer for even if she would look at him closely, something she doubted would change even if Red’s face wasn’t obscured by the mask. The air of mysteriousness that he constantly wore about him had made him all the more appealing to her, but it also made him perplexing in moments such as this; after her argument with Chaz, she was only reinforced the fact that Red was still shackled by the guilt of their battle during the Pokemon World Tournament, and she couldn’t help but chart his current actions to such a reason. 

The two reached a secluded clearing that led to the far less crowded beach, thereby which he removed the mask to reveal an impassive face, comfortable with the emptiness of the setting. The lights of the festival had since dimmed from where they'd walked to, replaced by the full moon and the stars that lit the darkened sky. 

“Red, are you… enjoying the festival?” Lisia said, finding her voice trailing with uncertainty.

“Yeah,” He said.

“Oh, look, what’s that?”

As Red turned to look at what Lisia seemingly noticed, the idol tiptoed herself and lunged at Red with her eyes closed. It was an opportune moment she had been waiting for through her time alone with him, and she’d figured that now was the best time to do it; as she opened her azure eyes, however, she found her lips brushing themselves on Red’s index finger.

The revelation caused Lisia to frown. She hadn't expected this, even though she knew that it would be selfish of her to force it upon him. “You didn’t have to resist…”

“You’re an idol,” Red said, flatly. Although his face didn’t reveal it, Red was surprised at how well he’d answered her, especially considering what she’d attempted earlier. “It’s not something you should give that easily.”

“Well, ain’t that sweet…” She muttered, her heart full. “But have you ever thought maybe this idol’s giving it to you because she’s found someone worthy of it?”

Lisia stared at Red again. There was his stoic expression that let nothing go once more, but he'd turned away, perhaps to hide the most subtle change that he didn't want her to see. She'd feared such a reaction, that he would be reserved after her forwardness—but she couldn't stop now. She found it ironic that the very course of action that almost cost her her life was the best course of action in this situation. 

“Look at me,” Her hand clutched Red’s own again, her fingers tightening on his. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, the only relieving thing in her mind the fact that Red had not resisted—throughout his stay he had never resisted her until that moment. “Please."

The seconds that passed were painstakingly slow as Red turned to meet her eyes again. Was it an act of resignation or guilt, or was there a sliver of hope that Lisia could garner from how he'd willingly faced her? 

“You remembered what I told you back at Mistralton, right?” Lisia began, “Red, I've never met anyone like you, and what you’ve done for me has been really amazing… you've taught me that there's so much in the world that I don't know, both in the way you've shone on stage, and.. .the things you've been through. Many people tell me that I've always had my life fed on a silver spoon, and after meeting you, I feel that statement's never been more correct. I've always felt that I've shone because I've worked hard for it as an idol, but you've shone even through all the hardships that you've been through. It's amazing to me that you've been able to persist despite all of that, and that's why I admire you so much. You even came all the way here for me despite what I've done to you..." Her voice trailed off as she finished, finding the guilt jabbing into her over the courage she had garnered. 

"It's not your fault," Red said. He'd said that to her various times already, something that soured Lisia as much as it did Red; the guilt Red harboured was a barrier between them, an adamant reminder that it was perhaps the only reason that they were even interacting like this. 

“Then perhaps  _ this _ is my fault… Red, please know that I really like you,” She retained her smile through the embarrassing confession, her face as pink, healthily so, like a Pecha Berry. “Though I imagine I’ve made myself clear about that already.”

As Lisia finished, there was a silence that remained unbroken for several moments. Lisia wondered for the umpteenth time what could be going on in Red’s mind beneath his unreadable expression, beneath the red eyes that stared back at her without reaction even through her confession, eyes that shone with a strength and color that matched his very name and title he’d made for himself.

“Well…” She forced a chuckle, “What do you say?”

“I…”

* * *

Cynthia trailed away from the more crowded sections of the festival venue. Although she’d seen many various sights from food to games and souvenir stores, nothing in particular had yet to catch her eye, and the fervent noise and movement was overwhelming her slightly. She felt that she was supposed to enjoy her current surroundings, but she found herself disinterested amidst the laughter, footsteps and other lively noises that went about the night. At the very least, she was grateful that she’d haven’t had anyone recognize that she was present there; she’d likely cause an even more unwanted stir otherwise.

There had been no public appearance, no sign of him. Perhaps he’d hidden himself among the crowd, but she also didn’t see him after the concert ended and the crowd dispersed. Her Glaceon looked up at her sadly as it noticed Cynthia's expression. 

Perhaps it came with the fact that she’d leave no riddle unanswered as a researcher of myths and ruins. However, Red had by far been her one biggest unanswerable riddle in her life, both in who he was and his effect on her. Although he wasn’t with Lisia and thus spared her the view of yet another sour sight of the Hoenn idol fawning over him, it meant that he also wasn’t present at the festival.

She’d entertained the idea momentarily, as impossible as she’d thought it—that Red would be present at the festival, all alone, and that he would enjoy the sights with her. Cynthia found her heart sinking as she thought of the possibility and how she’d been denied that.

Cynthia’s Glaceon snuggled up to Cynthia’s ankle, realizing its Trainer’s distress. Slightly moved by its affectionate gesture, Cynthia knelt down and petted the Fresh Snow Pokemon; it was always the most concerned of her among her Pokemon,  and the Ice-type Pokemon’s presence slightly alleviated her downridden demeanour. 

“I don’t know, Glaceon,” She sighed, “Maybe coming here wasn’t such a good idea after all.”

“Now that doesn’t sound right. Maybe that’s because you’re all alone, missy?”

A raspy, rough voice broke her thoughts; three men stood behind her and they seemed to present themselves well, if a little overdressed for the occasion. The one that stood in the middle was the tallest and seemed to give off an aura of authority; despite how they'd appeared, however, there was a discomforting scowl on their faces. Behind them were a Hariyama, a Lairon and a Camerupt. 

Cynthia usually would have little to fear from people such as this; she had confidence in her Pokemon and she  was more than capable of dealing with such common thugs on her own. However, her circumstances meant that bringing her Pokeballs along were impractical, and she only had her Glaceon with her as an escort. Against the three Pokemon before her, she had a type disadvantage, meaning that it would take more time for her to settle the issue if she had to, and more importantly, she didn’t want to start a commotion. Her only solace was that Cassandra was with the others at present; she would be in a far more urgent situation if she were around.

“We’re just looking for a good time,” The man sneered. “Come along, and we’ll make sure we’ll give you the same.”

Cynthia had yet to say anything. She didn’t find it necessary, but she backed away into a clearing.

“We’d feel really troubled if you resisted,” Noticing her hesitation and confident about having her cornered, the man now placed his hand on her shoulder, his fingers trailing to the exposed skin on her neck.

Cynthia could not resist the wave of disgust at how the man touched her so casually, his actions prickling her skin in a stark contrast to the formal attire he wore. Before she’d even commanded it, a beam of icy light shot from her Glaceon’s mouth, freezing the man’s palm solid. The man’s arm ached from the bitter sensation as he drove his strong arm on the bark of a nearby tree to break the ice that enveloped his hand, and the sickeningly coy smile on his face disappeared. “Now you’ve done it!” The man suddenly swung the same arm toward her, and Cynthia threw her arms up to defend herself.

“Is something wrong?”

Time stood still and the two motions did not collide; the three strangers turned towards the source of the voice—the sight of a random stranger in a dull-looking yukata and Pikachu mask seemed comical, and they inevitably laughed at the display, even with an Espeon trailing behind him. Perhaps they’d expected some bigger challenge, like a police officer of some tougher-looking Trainer to step in to rescue her, but this seemed to be e more enjoyable for them.

“Don’t get yourself involved, punk.” The largest of them sneered, “Get yourself another girl.” The Pokemon behind them growled as if to intimidate the newly arrived Trainer and his Pokemon, but they could neither garner nor perceive any reaction from beneath the smiling mask.  

Cynthia felt her heart stop at the distorted voice, one that she recognized all too well even through the mask. Her Glaceon also abruptly stopped its vigilant state for a moment as it was surprised by the new arrivals, and the Espeon behind him added further confirmation to Cynthia inevitable assumption.

“I guess you didn’t hear me properly,” The leader inclined his chin, and his Hariyama went running with his arms open wide, poised to hit the Trainer with its powerful arm thrusts. 

It was a reckless attempt; before the large Pokemon could even strike the Trainer, his Espeon soundlessly raised it into the air with its Psychic and flung it away from the festival grounds; the counterattack startled the opposing group slightly as the two followers and their Pokemon squared up in preparation to continue the battle. 

“Must we be violent?” The masked Trainer slid his mask partially—and Cynthia’s eyes widened upon recognizing the scarlet eye that lay underneath the mask. Though his eyes usually defied no inkling of expression, the one eye seemed to speak more than enough: despite the warm color, the red in his eyes was frigid, intimidating.

_ Strong. _

“W-Wait a minute! What are you doing here?” One of the thugs cried, finally realizing who they were up against. “Aren’t you supposed to be—”

“There’s no way we have a chance against this guy, dude!” The other cried. “Let’s get outta here!”

“Stay back!” Refusing to back down, he attempted to grab Cynthia by her neck, but his arm stopped in mid-air; he was stopped by the composed eyes of the Espeon who had lifted him into the air, and with a soft, icy blow from Cynthia's Glaceon, the well-dressed, uncouth man fell to the floor, helpless and alone. The two followers had already long run away after seeing the two Trainers' display, and as he thudded to the floor in a fit of fear and soreness, he seemed to have finally realized that it wasn’t worth pursuing the matter further. 

“You’ll regret this!” Clutching his sore arm, the angered leader quickly ran away from the scene. Cynthia’s eyes then returned to the person who’d saved her, staring unknowingly into the partially shielded face, into the scarlet eyes that seemed to spare no detail into all that it peered into. The man’s hands then moved to adjust the mask to cover the dispassionate face, and he and his Pokemon turned to leave.

“Hang on!” She cried, grabbing hold of his arm. She’d realized she’d done it the way Lisia had, but she persisted even through the flush of pink that came through her cheeks at the gesture.

There was no denying it now; whatever it was she’d harboured at the moment, there was an undeniable attachment. And to her frequent disappointment, the man before her was very good at disappearing before she could even say a word or make a guess. There was the finality of the battle they shared last year, and the way he’d disappeared without letting her trace back soundlessly into the air. The wry smile he’d given her at the airport was also unknowing, and even now, his first instinct after saving her had been to walk away without saying hello or to even ask her when she would return the jacket he’d given her. 

But why? Was there not a closure between them yesterday, knowing that Cynthia would not judge him even after knowing of the horrific past he’d been through, even if she didn’t let him divulge it completely yesterday? And even then, Red had given her his word that he wouldn’t deny her whenever they wanted to see each other again. Why was he running away from her now?

Did he not recognize her given what she was wearing and how her hair was tied up? Or did he truly know, but presumed that she hadn’t recognized her from beneath the mask?

Whatever the possibility, she found herself unafraid of the sudden gesture as her hands clung on with a strength she didn’t even know she could muster; but it was more appropraiate to say that it was the fear drove her to do so.

 “ _ Wait _ ,” She breathed. “Please…”

 


	9. Chapter 8: A Vista's Vantage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following an unexpected meeting, Red and Cynthia spend time across the festivities together; will the two get to know something new between one another?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW. I actually really didn't expect to have to finish this chapter so late (holy it's been more than a month) but I was so obsessed with delivering on this chapter that I'd had to revise on it almost three times, changing titles and content in between. Given the magnitude of the chapter, I really wanted it to be perfect, so I also paid more attention on the gaps as well. 
> 
> I'm putting this note at the beginning because I've an important announcement (which will also be placed in front later); I might need to take a break from writing just so I can put greater investment into improving the quality of this work, particularly getting a temporary job so I can splurge on more art for you guys, probably until the end of the month, rather than it being a long-term hiatus. This is probably the consistent thing I can say (though I apologize for my inconsistency of chapter release). Given the nature of the next chapter I might be able to squeeze it in since it's more exposition based, but I won't be giving any promises. During this time, I also need to assess on some of the decisions I've been making building up to this point of the fic, particularly the absence of some cast members (particularly the Brendan/May style protagonists) as well as polishing the fic in general. You guys can feel free to comment or message me about what I'm worried about or what my previous ideas for this chapter were: I'd really appreciate your opinions and feedback. 
> 
> I'd like to give another shoutout to Silif, who happens to be the artist who's made the art for this week's chapter and someone who also really helped me get some ideas across. Really appreciate what you've been doing for me: you're the best! Another shoutout to NebulaDreams who's also helped me a bunch with this chapter.
> 
> As always, I really appreciate the support all you readers are giving for this fic, and I really hope you'll enjoy this (very dedicated) chapter!

**Earth and Sky Chapter 8: A Vista’s Vantage**

Red stared at the woman who had clutched his arm, unflinching even through the pain that surged through the bandages hidden behind the cloth of the yukata. He already had his presumptions previously, but apart from her voice being a clear indicator, a closer look confirmed that it was indeed Cynthia that was now present before him. She was recognizable even through the light makeup and the way she tied her hair, even if the Glaceon that was with her could pass off as mere coincidence.

Exchanging glances with his Espeon after processing the situation, Red realized that the Psychic-type Pokemon had likely sensed her presence in the festival, and it would have led him to her regardless of whether she was in trouble at that moment. Had he realized it was Cynthia that was dealing with the men that approached her, perhaps he would have found it redundant to step in and would have simply observed how she would handle the situation. Nevertheless, the choice of Pokemon she had with her would’ve attracted too much attention even if she could have easily come out unharmed, so he didn’t regret his decision to intervene.

Still,  _ why was she here? _ Red could not deny that it was surprising to see her present here; he was well aware of the fact that Hoenn was an ideal spot for many to spend the weekend given the occasion, but was it truly just mere chance that she was here? He remembered how he’d seen her watching him with Lisia at Mistralton City yesterday; it was an uncertain exchange, one that he did not know how he’d reacted back then, although it definitely hadn’t ended on a bad note to him. Things seemed to be up in the air between the two, but Red couldn’t help but ponder on the possibility that she’d arrived here because he had, presumptuous as it was.

“…Are you alright?” Realizing that the blonde had yet to release her grip, Red addressed Cynthia, his voice equally unclear as his face covered by his mask.

Feeling more at ease after Red had initiated the conversation, Cynthia released her grip on Red’s arm. It took her a while before she’d realized that she’d held on Red’s injured arm, the one that took some backlash from his own Manectric’s attack during his battle against Lisia. Internally berating herself for the fact that Red had asked the question first, Cynthia did her best to compose herself and answer him.

“Sorry,” she muttered, feeling the light flush of color spreading on her face at what she’d done. “I’m fine. Thanks for stepping in earlier. I didn’t want to cause a commotion.”

Red replied by lightly shaking his head, a non-verbal way of saying that it was nothing.

“It’s nice to see you here,” Cynthia felt that it was the first time she’d smiled since she’d separated from her sister and her friends in the festival. It was a genuinely pleasant surprise, despite how unexpected it was, that she’d actually managed to meet him. “Are you alone?” Red nodded slightly, and Cynthia seemed to feel a mix of reassurance and nervousness after gaining his confirmation.

Pleased as she was, thoughts sprung in her mind to rationalize why he was present here, especially since he hadn’t seen him among the concert crowd prior. Was he not supposed to be with Lisia at a time like this? Or was the talk of the region truly just a presumptuous rumour as she’d discussed with her friends that morning? Perhaps he hadn’t been obligated to attend the concert that night. Or perhaps Lisia had simply felt satisfied having had the Contest Battle she wanted, and willingly left Red to his own freedom following that.

There was also the fact that he’d attempted to walk away, but she decided she would give him the benefit of the doubt that he’d hadn’t recognized her initially. Given that he now did, however, would he still attempt to do so once more if she couldn’t continue their short exchange? Would their sudden meeting there end as simply as that?

Cynthia knew the idea had crossed her mind earlier—she came to the festival, to Hoenn, despite her enjoyment, hoping for even the slightest opportunity of meeting him there regardless of where it would be, and he now stood before her on the night of the occasion itself. More than asking why he was here or why he’d acted the way he had, she felt the resurfacing idea bringing itself to the forefront of her mind once more.

_ I won’t deny you. _

The Sinnoh Champion found herself clinging on to the words he’d said to her in the Chasm. Cynthia didn’t know if Red was one to be good on his word, especially considering the fact that he’d forgotten about their childhood promise despite having fulfilled it inadvertently. Knowing that things had been silent for longer than she’d preferred since she asked her recent question, her lips opened to speak again.

There was nothing to lose over asking.

“Well, I’m on my own too, so if you don’t mind…why don’t we walk through the festival together?”

There was another moment’s silence between them, broken only by the sounds and distant activity that were the topic of Cynthia’s suggestion. The noisy nature of the setting seemed to be drowned out by the situation; wondering if the pause was Red administering the request. Seconds of waiting for his answer felt like minutes or longer to Cynthia, and she did not even have the luxury to even take a guess with his face behind the Pikachu mask. Red’s Espeon watched its Trainer in equal anticipation for his answer, which eventually came out in a dispassionate tone.

“All right,” Red said, finally. “I have the night to myself.”

Cynthia was momentarily surprised by Red’s reply, shown in her widening eyes. It was quickly replaced by the joy that welled in her heart at his reply, and she found herself smiling like she’d never had before.

The fleeting moment was interrupted by a series of mewing noises. Cynthia’s Glaceon had approached Red’s Espeon and appeared as though it was introducing itself to the latter; the Fresh Snow Pokemon was interested in Red’s Espeon as a fellow Pokemon that evolved from an Eevee.

“Perhaps I should’ve introduced you to her the other day,” Cynthia said, wondering how the previous night would’ve gone if she’d utilized the opportunity.

Red’s Espeon eyed Cynthia’s Glaceon and nodded, recognizing the fellow Pokemon’s presence, but it appeared disinterested otherwise; Cynthia’s Glaceon responded with a disappointed look, matching the wry smile that appeared on its Trainer’s face.

The sight reminded the Sinnoh Champion of her own experiences with the Espeon’s Trainer, initially so cold and callous. She couldn’t help but compare Red’s Espeon to one of her colleague’s Espeon’s, one that belonged to Lucian of her native Elite Four. His Espeon was far more sociable and outgoing than Red’s Espeon, and was one of the Pokemon that was close with her Glaceon. Entertaining the thought of how Pokemon of the same species could still be so different by personality and traits, she then remembered how Red had explained the circumstances of his Psychic-type Pokemon, and how understandably distrusting it was to others following its own harsh experiences.

“Not even to Pokemon, huh?” Cynthia chuckled. Even after acquainting with the Pokemon, she could still sense the reserved air the Espeon had about it, eyeing everything with a gaze as keen as its own Trainer’s.

“No,” Understanding what Cynthia meant despite the way she’d worded it, Red knelt down and stroked his Pokemon’s head, and it was then only that the Sun Pokemon softened up, giving the warm expression Cynthia and her Glaceon wanted to see. “It’ll take more than an Ice-type to get through this one’s cold heart.”

Cynthia giggled slightly at the way Red made the association. She stared at him as he interacted with his satisfied Pokemon, his mask letting no features come loose. She felt her smile fade upon remembering that Red had not even fully removed the mask when he’d revealed himself earlier, and even then, she doubted she could deduce anything even if she could get a close look at what laid beneath his mask.

_ What would it take to know yours? _ The thought caused Cynthia to bite her lip, but she reassured herself with the notion that she could perhaps get her answer that night.

* * *

The beginning of their walk together transpired wordlessly as the two re-entered the lights and the crowd, and Cynthia found her interest in the sights of the festival gradually rising. She felt more inclined to spare more than just a glance at the stalls she passed by, and she could feel the jubilant and lively atmosphere of the festival settle into her.

Perhaps it was the company that made her feel this way; perhaps she would have felt the same if she had stuck with Caitlin and the others previously, but more than anything, the fact that Red was now pacing alongside her excited her. It was only a few moments ago that she’d ruminated on the futility of the desire to be able to walk with Red during the festival, but she was more than grateful that it was happening right now.

Amidst the clash of vendors' voices promoting their goods, Cynthia’s attention turned toward one of many stalls lined a stone’s throw away from her left. Candy apples lined the metal tray that was placed in front of the stall, and the way they were presented suggested that they were both fresh and newly made, even as the night continued to grow late. There was still a lot to work and do for the night for the festival, and the treats admittedly looked tempting; following Cynthia’s late lunch, Cynthia hadn’t felt the need to eat during the first half hour of the festival, but she could now feel a hollowness in her stomach that desired to be filled. 

Cynthia’s next senses were a spot of red and a sugary odor; Cynthia realized her hunger had distracted her, and turned toward Red to see that he’d presented her with a candy apple.

“You must be hungry,” Red said. He’d bought the treat for Cynthia, realizing her intent. Given the way he said it even through his mask, did she detect bemusement in him, or was it just her imagination? Perhaps she had made her craving obvious; she usually found herself distracted over ice cream from time to time, so she didn’t feel embarrassed over it, knowing that she was used to moments such as this.

“Thank you,” Cynthia accepted Red’s offer, nodding gratefully. Gently blowing on the warm candy apple, she eventually took a bite and let the combined sweet and slightly spicy flavours tantalise her mouth; along with the crispness of the fruit, the first bite was scrumptious, and she knew that it would only be more delicious the longer she ate it.

Cynthia continued to walk, but she paused upon realizing that Red had walked at an uneven pace with her. Perhaps it came with how the Pikachu mask blankly stared at her—the goofy smile a stark contrast to what Red usually had on his exterior—and it looked quite amusing.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, trying her best to hide a giggle. There was an alluring smile on her face as she entertained the idea of what expression he was making behind the festival mask. “Are you hungry too?”

As if to respond to her question immediately, there was an odd rumbling noise, barely detectable amidst the bustling noise of surrounding activity. The way Red turned away, perhaps in slight embarrassment, further confirmed Cynthia’s suspicions, and she let off an amused look at the sight.

“Looks like I’m not the only one,” She said, “Here, let me get you something.”

She took a quick survey of her surroundings and paused at the sight of cotton candy; she approached another stall they just passed by to buy a cone full of the white, fluffy delicacy before offering it to Red. 

“Here. Would you like some?”

“Um…What’s this?”

Cynthia’s eyes widened, unsure if she had heard him correctly; it was a surprise that someone would not know about cotton candy, especially at such an age. She couldn’t resist a light laugh over Red’s question, as well as the irony of the situation. Her first meeting with him was in Viridian Forest where he had been the one to teach her of things she did not know about, but she hadn’t expected the chance to be the one to teach him of things in turn.

“Goodness. So you  _ have _ been living up there for quite a while,” She jested, “This is cotton candy. It’s a festival staple, not exclusive to the region. Care to try one?”

“I’ll pass,” The word candy and its suggestive taste, usually inviting for most, seemed to be a turnoff for the World Champion.  

“You don’t have a taste for sweet things? That’s a shame.”

“No,” Red shook his head. “I’ve been living up there for quite a while, as you say. I don’t exactly get this often.”

“All the more reason to try something, then.” Cynthia plucked a small handful of cotton candy and letting it fade away with a lingering sweetness in her mouth, as if to show Red the way to eat it. “Though I guess it might be a bit heavy for you. Maybe you’d like something closer to home.” She went into thought on a possible food among the stalls that would be appealing to Red. Berries were the first idea that came to mind, but they weren’t a common fare among festivals, even for stalls that catered to Pokemon. 

She eyed the bitten candy apple that she held in her hand, and although she’d largely prefer finishing it after taking two bites, the cotton candy seemed to be a fine substitute. The candy apple seemed to be something that felt right for Red and what she presumed he’d eat, especially considering the fact that Red had bought it for her earlier: it was not far-fetched to presume that he would have eaten it if she’d decided not to take it earlier. They had walked quite a distance away from the store since, and there did not appear to be any other stores about.

“Maybe you can have this,” She offered  the candy apple of which she’d already taken a few small bites, handing it to Red with the uneaten surface. “It’s too bad you didn’t get one for yourself earlier, but you can have mine.” It took her a while before she’d realized the suggestive nature of the gesture, but she’d thankfully offered the candy apple on the  _ right _ side.

Red remained hesitant; would he still not relent to fruit, which Cynthia presumed was his common food while atop Mount Silver, or was it the forwardness of Cynthia’s gesture that disturbed him?

“Go on,” Cynthia decided that she needed to take the first few steps in her interactions with Red, and thus took the initiative to encourage him once again. “It tastes good, you know.”

Red slowly extended his hand to take the stick of candy apple, and Cynthia felt glad at Red’s willingness to try it. He slid the bottom half of the mask and took a small bite, something which spurred Cynthia to wonder if he would be willing to take off the mask as he walked with her. She then realized that it would attract too much attention, especially given the rumours spreading about: having the news of their beloved idol’s new partner seen in public with another woman was  unwelcome news that would spread like wildfire.

The inevitable question ached in her mind, but she felt it was inappropriate to ask it at the moment, especially since the two were beginning to enjoy themselves.

“Well?”

“It’s not bad,” He muttered. He kept his grip on the candy apple stick, though he seemed to take no more than a bite at the moment.

“I’m glad you like it. You can have it if you’d like,” The question came to her momentarily; was he aware that Cynthia had already taken a bite, or was he simply oblivious or didn’t mind it at all? “Perhaps you can give this a try now.”

Red eyed the soft, sugary substance with greater suspicion than he did the apple, and after another moment of stillness, relented to give it a taste. Cynthia waited once more before he gave his verdict:

“I guess it’s not so bad once in a while," He said, and Cynthia smiled once more, happy that she'd successfully introduced Red to the joys of the standard festival fare. 

* * *

The two were well-fed after going across the festival for more small snacks, and before they knew it, they’d reached the northern exit of the city just beside the local Contest Hall. As they ventured outside of the city, they met a tranquil scenery where there was a balance of wilderness and construction, and a reasonable distance of walking would lead the two to Mauville city. Throughout the journey, Red’s Espeon remained vigilant as it walked, eyeing its surroundings as if it were a steward maintaining the safety of the two Trainers, but it had been more alert upon leaving the city, perhaps being wary of wild Pokemon possibly being about. Cynthia's Glaceon had long since relented to the fact that it was probably not going to interact better than her Trainer was to the Espeon's master, and had largely spent time with them enjoying the festival fare and highlights.

The Cycling Road was a short distance away, and the intersection that led to Mauville was usually a lot less active at this hour, dotted only by lights that paled compared to the brightness. Finally relieved of the crowd of the festival, it was at that point where Cynthia decided that she was free to let her long, golden hair fly free as she walked mid-way, letting out a relieved sigh as she did so, shaping the recognizable exterior that most knew and revered.

Similarly, Red found himself sliding the mask towards his right side, finally revealing his features; the experience had been gradually uncomfortable, and he was glad that he was getting a moment of fresh air. Eyeing his unexpected companion as she too, revelled in their shared moment of freedom, he found himself taken by the sight before him; he had to admit that Cynthia looked more beautiful than she was with her hair tied, and it was only accentuated more so with the yukata she was wearing. It was no wonder to him that she’d tied her hair up back then, as he could imagine the implications if she were to be recognized in that state. 

Cynthia turned toward the tree she was standing under; her attention seemed piqued by something, and true enough, she could recognize the familiar, albeit rare, shapes that hung among the leaves, even amidst the dark of the evening. 

“Cornn Berries!” Cynthia exclaimed. The berries were rare for a Sinnohan, but they seemed to be more common in Hoenn given the region’s warmer climate. They were among her favourite berries to snack on, and she’d decided it would be harmless to help herself to a bunch or two given the abundance of them on the tree.

Finding a small rock on the ground, Cynthia hurled the stone toward one of the branches; although she managed to hit the bunch of berries, only two fell onto the ground. Cornn berries could not be enjoyed with merely one or two; Cynthia had hoped to enjoy the vividly blue berries to the fullest by scoring the whole bunch.

Cynthia frowned slightly at her own sloppy attempt, and she turned at the sound of Red chuckling at him.

“Pick the right pebble,” Red said. Cynthia watched as Red scanned the ground beneath him, a different approach from her attempt to take just a random out of the many small stones that littered about. Red seemed satisfied with a pebble he selected with a moderately sharp edge, and he took aim at one of the closest cobs of blue berries that hung from the tree above him.

“Rather than trying to knock out the berries by the bunch, take aim at the stalk,” Red arched his arm backward, and just as easily as he’d hit Lisia’s Altaria doll prior, he swung the pebble forward, striking the bunch of Cornn berries that hung from the branch by the stalk and sending them falling toward him. He skilfully caught the full bunch in his hand and offered it to her.

                                           

The way Red had acquired the berries impressed her, and much like the candy apple he’d bought for her earlier, she graciously accepted them. She eyed Red carefully once again as he took another stone and picked off a bunch for his own just as easily as he did for her. It was only then that Red seemed to be properly enjoying the food he had as he munched on several of the berries at once, and Cynthia could relate in this case; eating them all at once rather than per berry, she’d finally managed to properly savour the dry, yet satisfying taste of the berries.

“I guess you learn something new every day.” Cynthia said through a muffled voice. Red’s exposed unfamiliarity caused a warm feeling to well within her, knowing that  _ this  _ was the side of Red that was familiar to her. Having learned a new side of Red that was seemingly unfamiliar with even the most common luxuries of every life, a warm feeling welled within her knowing that  _ this _ was the Red that was familiar to her.

“Living up there suddenly doesn’t sound so bad, now, does it?” There was a smug look on Red’s face, and Cynthia chuckled, knowing that Red had gotten her back for their previous exchange. Cynthia had to admit that while living alone on a mountain felt bland amidst the loneliness and bareness, it had also trained Red to possess skills and experience that could not be acquired anywhere else.

Cynthia suddenly remembered that she'd heard of an important event that would occur later in the day, one where they weren't exactly in the best post to enjoy. “I hear there’s going to be a fireworks display soon," she said, “Though I suppose this isn’t the best place to spectate it. What do you think?"

For the first time that day, Cynthia could see Red actually administering the question. 

“I know a spot,” Red said. “Though we might have to walk a bit.”

Cynthia suddenly remembered that she had to meet up with Cassandra and the others, and she’d lost track of time;  she presumed that they were probably looking for her around the festival right now, and she knew that her sister wanted them to watch the fireworks together.

Was it best for her to tell him about her previous commitment and end their time for the night just like that? She had definitely enjoyed herself, but she felt that the night with him couldn’t just end yet.

“I guess you’re busy,” Red muttered. “Sorry for suggesting it.”

“Wait!” The suggestion had been as much an opportunity for Red to part ways for the night as much as it was a chance to spend more time with her, or at least Cynthia thought of it as such. Such was what spurred her sudden response, and she eyed her Glaceon, appearing as if though she'd made a decision. 

“…I’ll come with you.” She answered. Kneeling down, Cynthia then told her Glaceon to head back into Slateport City and look for Caitlin, who would likely understand that Cynthia had ventured off on her own—if not tell her outright that she’d found Red and decided to continue journeying throughout the night with him. Obeying its Trainer’s command, it gave a slight purr as if to wish its Trainer a safe journey, and ventured back toward the city.

Watching the Ice-type Pokemon run toward the blinding embrace of lights and noise, Red then regarded Cynthia once again. “Are you sure about this?”

Cynthia turned toward Red and gave him another mesmerizing smile. 

“Surprise me." 

* * *

The nightlife of the city was abnormally quiet, largely due to all the attention being gathered near Slateport, although there were signs of people still about. All the same, although there was more signs of activity there than the route they walked through earlier, it was a welcoming atmosphere to the two, knowing that they would likely pass along unnoticed.

Apart from an open square of night sky in the middle of the massive facility, they first entered the modern look of the city to see that little, if any, traces of the wildlife that Red was so accustomed to being scarce among the area. The structure seemed to be comprised of three floors, though it seemed to tower higher than some of the tallest skyscrapers in other regions, suggesting that there was a lot to go through for each floor; true enough, people lived in the facility just as much as they travelled in and out of it, as the structure, while reminiscent of a massive mall, was in fact housing apartments for residents as well. Cynthia found herself admiring the complexity of how the city had been put together, as well as how organized the citizens needed to be to navigate through the labyrinth daily. 

Walking from the main southern entrance where the standard amenities of the Pokemon Centre and Mart that stood ready for customers, Cynthia and Red headed toward one of the lifts on the right of the ground floor. While most needed to wait in line for the lifts, the far smaller crowd that evening meant that the two did not need to wait for the lift at all, and they went into the lift that would take them to the highest floor.

Time seemed to pass slowly as they waited for the lift to take them to the top; the narrow walls of the lift seemed to encourage the thought that Cynthia was alone with Red even more than when they’d walked previously, and she couldn’t help but glance at Red’s arm once more. It was, in a way, available to her; Cynthia had been bothered with how Lisia would often reach out and hold it at her leisure, and she wondered if she would find herself capable of doing that, or if Red would give her that luxury as he did the Hoenn idol. His fingers were no longer gloved; unconsciously, her fingers stretched and moved as if to wonder of the sensation that she would gain if her own hand would once again brush against his once more.

She then remembered the inconsiderate deed she’d attempted when she’d first recognized him at the festival.

“Sorry about your arm earlier,” Cynthia said, her head held down slightly. “Does it still hurt?”

Red gave her a look that implied that her apology puzzled him and addressed her question. “As it should. The aches of old wounds are necessary reminders.”

Cynthia felt an unpleasant taste form in her mouth at Red’s answer, even if she could understand in her own way. She, too, had once made mistakes that had cost her dearly, and the pain of such memories, even if she wanted to forget them, served as important reminders on how she would treasure the company she still had left.

“Why were you on your own back there?” Red asked, breaking Cynthia from her momentary, sentimental thoughts.  

“I came along with my sister, as well as Caitlin and some of the Unova League members.” Cynthia answered. “We would’ve attracted too much attention if we were seen together, so we decided to split up.” As Cynthia finished speaking, she felt somewhat guilty at the thought of her desire to stick with Red surpassing that of her need to be responsible to her group.

As such thoughts went through her mind, they had reached their destination; they went out of the lift and stepped into Mauville City’s rooftop garden, the highest point of the city. It was there that the two finally found a notable speck of green harmonizing well with the metal of the building, and the vicinity was quite spacious; there was a pavement that connected each of the four available elevators to one another, and Cynthia was particularly interested in the four, tower-esque structures that were erected on each cardinal direction, comparing their likeness to the Prism Tower of Kalos’ Lumiose City.

She then decided to stare out into the view from their current vantage, and she saw traces of the festival at Slateport from a distance, and marvelled at the idea of spectating the fireworks from such a spot. She would wonder as to why no one else would have opted for such an ideal location, but it didn’t take long before the cold of the night settled into her, almost as cold as the chill of the Giant Chasm where they’d first reconciled. Cynthia then realized why the garden was empty—given the nature of the festivities, few would want to venture to a place like this. After all, the chill of the night, especially a night heralding autumn’s arrival, to be too big a hassle for an otherwise picturesque fireworks view.

The atmosphere seemed exclusive to them given that fact, and Red found himself sliding his mask off once more, taking a breath as if to savour the cold evening air. Cynthia turned to Red, knowing that he was one of the few that did enjoy such a setting.

“Where did you get to know about this spot?”

“I roamed around the region yesterday. I figured this would be a good spot to get a general look.” Red had arrived on Hoenn solely by flying on his own Charizard, and Cynthia knew that it was indeed a good spot to plan ahead, especially considering that Mauville was also deemed the capital of the Hoenn region.

“About what we were talking about earlier… what about you?”  _ Weren’t you supposed to be with Lisia today? _ Her thoughts suddenly circled themselves on the question she had admittedly been worried about for far too long, and the words stood at the tip of her tongue, words which she found more and more difficult to resist letting out.

Red had suddenly fallen silent. The slightest hints of smiles here and there that Cynthia had grown accustomed to had long since vanished when they’d began to walk toward Mauville and arrived since, and she could feel the mood dampen slightly even as they waited for the celebratory event.

“You don’t want to talk about it?”

“It’s fine,” Red muttered. “I was waiting for Lisia to finish her concert earlier backstage. After that, we walked through the festival for a bit.”

His statement explained why he wasn’t present upfront at Lisia’s Slateport concert earlier, and Cynthia could feel something stir within her at his mention of the idol’s name. Against her desire to ponder if it would be appropriate to ask, the words instead went out unexpectedly, like water out of a balloon filled beyond what it can handle.

“Are the two of you… an item?”

At Cynthia’s question, Red gave the same unknowable look that had appeared on and off throughout the night as he went in and out of his mask, changed only by the creasing of his eyebrows. Despite the slight change, he appeared as though he’d expected her to ask him that question eventually, an expression that sent fear running down Cynthia’s veins.

“Just about everyone’s had that assumption now, haven’t they?” There was a resignation that came with the way he’d said that.

The statement neither confirmed nor denied her question. The way he worded it let out the slightest hope, the slightest possibility, that it was the opposite. “So it’s true? The two of you are… together now?” She’d tried to be smooth in putting the message across, but she couldn’t resist the wild thumping of her heart at the impending truth.

“The truth is… she actually confessed to me just before I met you earlier.”

Her heart tightened at the admission, and she could not resist the gasp that came from her lips, though she hoped that Red didn’t hear it. She also tried to resist the frown that had come onto her face. Having spent nearly the entire trip with Red having the worry of the rumours surrounding him off her mind, perhaps not even believing in them momentarily, her head dropped as she was confronted with the bitter truth once more: she clung to only the uncertainty of what Red had said yet again.

Had he said yes?

“… Your answer?” Cynthia could not resist the question.

* * *

“What do you say?”

Red remembered the way Lisia had ambushed him with that question; although he was aware of her growing attachment to her, he hadn’t realized that she had been that serious with the way she’d acted around him, and had mostly assumed that the little intimate gestures and overall bubbly attitude surrounded him simply came with her nature, a momentary feeling that would last only as long as he'd stay in Hoenn. In a contrast to the more relieving smiles that she'd given him throughout his time knowing her, it had been difficult for Red to look at her smiling at him like back then; it was an expectant smile, one from an idol beloved and adored by many across the globe,  and one who had given him some very heavy words, words that should have not been meant for him after what he’d done to her.

“Lisia, I….” No words came out after that. Red could almost feel the stretching sensation of Lisia's smile regressing to a straight face.

“You don’t want to?" She asked, "...Are you still blaming yourself for what happened?”

It was difficult to find the words to say, but Red knew that he had to give some sort of response. She deserved as much, at least, and while he found the concept of romantic relationships and dating so foreign to him now that he was having what was his first proper proposal of one, he tried his best to carry his message across.

"It’s not your fault,” were the first words he found himself stringing together. “I would respond the same way if it were anyone else.”

“So you’re saying no?”

Red found himself silent yet again; he felt as if he were strangled, worse than any situation he’d braved on his home mountain, worse than any battle he’d ever faced in his life. He couldn’t win this battle the way he wanted to.

“So you are,” Lisia said. She'd assumed Red's silence as affirmation, but Red was more surprised at how quickly her smile returned. "I think I understand. It’s as you’ve mentioned earlier, right? That an idol shouldn’t be giving something so special to someone so easily… it’s the same with you, isn’t it? I guess you feel like you shouldn't belong to anyone, or maybe you're just reserving it for the right person! Just like I should, maybe..."

She knew that for her admiration of him, it would be selfish to want him all for herself, even if he would have accepted her; the fact that he'd preserved her attempt at what was a first kiss seemed to impress the idol even more, knowing that his choice had been a matter of principle. 

Red didn't entertain the rest of what she'd wanted to say, however, even as she continued to babble away; the simple way she'd accepted his passive rejection wasn't enough. There was no peace, no affirmation that he'd given the message he'd want to give her. It wasn't just a "no" out of lack of interest or whim; it was one that he'd done with consideration. Somehow, he knew that would not give her reason to give up on him. 

She needed to understand. 

"I'm sorry that I was so forward—"

"It's not that I'm reserving it," Red said. "It's simply a feeling I'm not familiar with. It's not a feeling I need or will ever get." 

Lisia seemed to pause at those words, and as expected, Red could see Lisia's smile fading once more, made even gloomier with the absence of the festival lighting.

“You don’t know if you’ll ever get that feeling toward someone until you do,” She said. “So don’t say that you’ll never get that feeling. It’s just sad...it’s just so painful to listen to…”

“No, Lisia.” Red shook his head. “I can’t afford that feeling. You should know why."

Lisia did not feign her ignorance at that statement: it was a confrontation, as if Red had finally decided to rub the rigidity of reality back in her face. At the same time, Lisia knew that Red had been the one to place the wall between them.  

The Hoenn idol remembered when she'd first discovered the truth behind this seemingly esteemed man, where his reputation of being enigmatic and unbeatable hid a cruel truth that scarred not only him, but also the home and region he'd once lived in. She remembered how her uncle Wallace had his own reservations after hearing of the whole story, but had allowed Lisia to make her own decision on how she approached Red after the untimely accident, an accident that ironically facilitated the very situation they were in. 

"I already told you," She defaulted to her defiant stance she decided to adopt after she made her conclusion. "I don't care about all that happened to you, or the fact that you could've hurt me back there. It means nothing to me. It doesn't change the fact that I—"

" _ Lisia _ ," Red sighed. "This isn't just about you. Your understanding alone doesn't make any difference. I need to face this alone. I've bothered you to bring me to Hoenn enough already, and I really don't want to see it extend to more risks."

"Do you  _ have _ to face it alone? Wouldn't it be better to face it with someone there to support you, instead of pushing away anyone who's trying to help you and care about you?"

"It's what must be done. It has nothing to do with you.”

“Then what  _ will _ it take for it to have something to do with me, huh!?” She couldn’t resist her rising tone any longer, frustrated over the defiant wall that Red had set out in front of her. “Why do you keep saying stuff like that? ...You keep blaming yourself all the time, but your actions are saying otherwise. Are you saying it’s all _my_ fault? That I never should have done all this?”

Red found himself silent in the face of Lisia's sudden confrontation, his eyes widening at the sight. 

“Was everything we did today… was a bother to you?" Lisia's final attempt at a bravado was fading fast, her voice softening slightly. "Are you saying you never wanted any of this...that you never really enjoyed yourself?"

"I did enjoy it," He said. Lisia found herself doubting his words with the way he'd said it. "But I can't be relieved if I'm enjoying it at either our expenses. You’re an idol, Lisia. You have a reputation to maintain.

The Hoenn idol found herself unable to respond, even as her lips quivered to give a response. She knew that Red's was a willing decision to keep her away—to keep anyone away. The lack of exclusivity, the lack of bias, did not help the sinking feeling that was welling within her, even as the previous notion of the fact that Red would have not taken anyone comforted her. At the same time, she knew that she had been selfish throughout her entirety of her interactions with the World Champion; her forcing the tournament battle that got her almost hurt and sullied his reputation, her subsequent offer to invite him to Hoenn, as well as the very moment she had initiated at present. 

Lisia smiled as she attempted to continue talking, as if to tell him his response hadn’t bothered her at all; her face and voice, however, were saying otherwise.

Red felt his chest clench at the sight; the sensation of guilt and the sharpness of the words he didn’t want to say or hear were more painful than any wound or scar, more painful than the way his injured arm ached when both Lisia and Cynthia had tugged on it.

Red took in a breath to attempt to ease himself. He wasn’t exactly feeling nervous, but the scene before him definitely wasn’t leaving a good taste in his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Lisia, I—”

“Oh, this?” Lisia trailed her fingers along the stream that was falling down her cheeks, taking a good look at the water that collected on their tips as they glistened amidst the night. Lisia herself did not know if it was the pain of the rejection or the pain of Red's cruel history that became the catalyst that evoked her tears. “I’ll be okay. I’d almost forgotten what it feels like to cry like this…”

Red's expression twisted as his heart did at the sight; his typical stoic, unreadable exterior became unrecognizable; he knew full well that it was his fault. 

"Don't worry, Red," Lisia's hands clasped themselves on Red's own, and Red could feel the way they shivered even as their grip tightened on his in an attempt to reassure him. The smile she forced on her face made no illusion that she was crying tears of joy; the sorrow she'd garnered for the night, one seemingly meant to be so meaningful to her, had been laid bare. "I'll be fine, Red, please, don't worry..."

He had no right to comfort her after the fact; his mind told him to walk away to give her the space she needed, but he found his feet stuck tight on the ground he stood on. 

"I'll be back to normal, tomorrow, I promise..." She slowly turned away to make distance, as if she found himself at a dead end with the wall that stood between them even as they stood close to one another. "I just… need a bit of time. I'll meet you at your hotel tomorrow morning."

She took a few steps back, giving a final, torn gaze at the man who'd just broke her heart, and the staggered steps turning into running, diminished by the sand that stood on the beach.

_ Please don't hate me _ .

It was the final moment Red remembered before she left; did he hear Lisia whisper that, or was it his imagination? 

* * *

Cynthia fell silent as Red finished recounting the event. Part of her felt relieved at what she’d heard, but she also felt guilty for the very same relief that came from the fact he’d rejected her. She would not have wished for either experience on anyone, knowing the difficulty that came with Red having to reject her like that, and what Lisia herself must have felt on the receiving end. She found herself rather bewildered at the fact that Lisia had attempted to  _ kiss _ him, her fingers still on her lips in a mix of the surprise from the news and the disheartening reality of what Red had divulged. 

Would she have had the courage to do as Lisia did knowing that Red would have rejected her all the same if Cynthia had been the one to initiate that conversation? And would she have reacted as Red described Lisia did, left in a mess of tears amidst an attempt to be strong in front of him? 

“It must’ve been difficult,” She whispered, feeling the weight of the news settle into her. “For both you and her.”

“I really didn’t want to go through that,” There was a light cracking noise, and Cynthia could almost feel the strength that Red poured into his curled fist, as if were a way of punishing himself. “I’ve already hurt her more than I needed to. She doesn’t deserve what I’ve done to her.”

“It’s not your fault that you’re not ready for her. And what you did in the tournament was just an accident. She won’t hold it against you, as did no one. The fact that she already confessed should speak for—”

“It’s not just an accident, Cynthia," Red interrupted half-way through Cynthia's attempt to rationalize the events to him. He'd left out the subject of the truth of why he'd acted the way he had during his tournament battle with Lisia, and it seemed that another opportunity had come to divulge the truth, and to Cynthia this time around. "It’s more than that…”

Cynthia could feel the pit in her chest deepen; she knew full well what Red was referring to now, and how the subject was bound to surface eventually.

“… Are you talking about your disorder?”

Red’s head raised to stare at her for a few moments, as if she’d told her something unthinkable; Cynthia nodded as if to affirm him before he could ask, giving him a bitter smile.

She wasn’t exactly prepared for this moment, but she knew that she had to confront him over the truth sooner or later. She’d spent the previous day fretting over how she’d react when she’d learnt of the truth, and while she’d resolved that it would change nothing, the very act of disclosing it itself was a test, a test for the extent of the unknowable feelings that she’d harboured toward the man before her.

“It’s true,” she murmured. “I know everything,”

“Everything?” Red asked, still sceptical.

“Everything Professor Oak and Blue know, anyway,” she confessed. “You wanted to tell me about it the other night, didn’t you?”

There was a nod; Red could not deny that he  _ did _ want to tell her of the whole story that night, but found himself not doing so given that Cynthia had also poured her own emotions out before he could. She was more perceptive that Red had thought her to be; at the same time, he found that he wasn't surprised that she would decide to discover the truth for herself, even as he also found himself questioning why the Professor and Blue trusted her with the truth.

“I’m sorry,” Cynthia said. She’d wanted to apologize for stopping Red that night ever since she’d learnt the whole story. “I stopped you from telling me everything that night, didn’t I? I didn’t mean to—”

Red raised his hand to stop her and shook his head. Despite the grim revelation, Red found himself unusually calm around her, perhaps given the fact that Cynthia had willing chose to stick with him despite having known the reality all along. “You know in the end. I guess it doesn’t matter how you learned it." 

“Well, that said… you’re scared, isn’t it?” With no more secrets between them, Cynthia understood that despite his choice of words, Red had largely chosen to keep Lisia out of harm's way, and alleviate as much risk to both her safety and reputation as possible. “You’re scared of hurting her again because—”

“I want to think it was for the best.  But must I have hurt her either way? I just…”

“People don’t mean to hurt others. Especially not you. It’s just a cruel coincidence, that’s all… the way you described her didn’t seem to imply she’d hold it against you for it. I guess if it really bothered you, perhaps you could have chosen a decision which would have hurt her less."

“You would suggest I accept her confession if it means that?”

“No!”

Cynthia felt as if though the word would come across as a scream if she’d said it any louder. Confronted with a puzzled look from Red, she quickly composed herself, surprised at how drastically she’d reacted to the possibility.

“I mean…” She paused, working out her thoughts carefully, “I’m not asking you to force yourself for it. I doubt she’d want to know you’d accepted her forcibly. She wouldn’t be happy to know that you're forcing yourself to do something you don't want. I trust you have your reasons for rejecting her, if only because you’re still feeling responsible about that exhibition battle. It was a good thing that you were honest with her."

There was another wave of silence, one that left Cynthia wondering if she was convincing enough for its duration. 

"Perhaps there's some truth to that," Red muttered. 

“She’s not entirely wrong either, though," The very same choice of words which Cynthia had attempted to justify for Red's sake had the same effect on Cynthia as it did Lisia; her voice grew quiet as she decided to delve forward into the issue once more, knowing that she was taking a risky gambit with her honesty, even as she'd encouraged Red for his own just a short moment ago. 

"I should say that it wasn't the fact that you rejected her that hurt her as much. It's more on the fact that.. .why do you insist on distancing yourself from people, even from those who would accept you?”

Red's next response seemed to surprise her. “I’m here with you now, aren’t I?”

Cynthia felt the need to gulp and take a breath before she could say what she needed to say next. Taking a few steps forward, she stopped only a few inches away from the man, her gray eyes staring into the softened gaze Red’s own eyes addressed her with.

“Would you be here with me if I didn’t stop you?” She began, and Cynthia could feel the hurtful feelings settling into her, made evident on her face and voice. “I have to admit, I wasn’t very happy when you tried to leave earlier, but I guess you didn’t recognize me. Even if that’s true, you found yourself willing…  _ wantin _ g to tell me all this back then, to tell me about your past, even about your disorder. Why  _ did  _ you feel the need to tell me, if it needs to be kept secret as you say? And even before coming here… you just assumed I’d…” She couldn’t find herself continuing.

Red did not seem intent on answering either, and the atmosphere of the rooftop was becoming heavier for the two; it seemed that it was twice that day where Red had found himself cornered, and Cynthia knew full well that she'd had him there. 

_ I think you know why deep down, _ Cynthia thought, resisting the urge to say those words yet again. She then remembered the acerbic feeling she’d gained when she’d first talked to Blue and Lance following Red’s exhibition battle: ‘ _ He tried to distance himself from you’  _ rang in her mind once more. 

“It was necessary,” Red suddenly said, apparently no longer intent on denying it. “Cynthia, it’s like I’ve said the other day: we shouldn't be hanging out like this. It's for the best. Now that you know the truth, I’d imagine that you'd understand.”

“Who would it be for the best for? I can't say I can find it in myself to call you noble, if that’s what you think this is, nor anyone for the matter.” She said. “If it means hurting yourself to help others, and to hurt those that don’t want you to do so.”

"This isn't just one instance, Cynthia," Red found himself taking another momentary look at Cynthia, but he turned away afterwards, and she could feel the way it pricked her chest. "It will happen again, and I don't want to end up cross the line when it does."

"Then do your best to make yourself feel better. After I learned about this, I understand why you'd chosen Manectric back then. It was a test for you, wasn't it? And from what Blue and the Professor told me, you're starting to get control of it, aren't you?"

It was a statement that had given her hope back then, but then she recalled the unsettling scene where Red's arm had been badly hurt from his own dangerous attack, even as he stood callously in the face of the pain; she knew that no one, Red especially, would have wanted to see that wound on someone like Lisia, an event that would have likely denied their very evening here. Whether it was by Red's sheer will, planning or stroke of luck that he'd managed to avoid the worst, Cynthia could not deny the gravity of the mistake, especially considering the likelihood that it would happen again.

“I imagine you know why I chose Manectric back then," Red said, "And I thought I could overcome it after some time. But I was wrong. I can't be complacent with such a minor improvement, nor can I risk the safety of others for the sake of it. My overconfidence almost got Lisia hurt, and any further attempt would surely..."

“So you're going to give up just like that? Maybe it’s because improvement's not what you need,” Cynthia said, “It’s not Lisia you need to look for forgiveness. Nor would it be me. Not Blue, not anyone. Red, isn’t it time  _ you _ did the forgiving?” Cynthia repeated the same words Blue had said to him at Mistralton.

“ _ No _ ,”  The word came out immediately and with unusual force.  “This happened precisely because I thought I could forgive myself. I won’t make that mistake again.”

“What do you mean? Ever since that first incident, you’ve come back into the Pokemon World Tournament for three years now, long after that last battle occurred. Even if the truth was hidden from everyone back then, everyone still revered you as the World Champion. 

“I shouldn’t have come back this time,” Red said, “Not after that last battle in Pallet. Not after what it did to the town, to the others… and to me.”

“Then think of them. Think of the ones who dedicated themselves to you in hopes of wanting you to lead a better life. I know from yesterday that there were misunderstandings between you and your region, but I’m sure they all care and respect you all the same. Blue and the Professor did what they could to help you. Lisia did what she could and even liked you despite what you’ve done. Even your Pikachu left you because it cared about you, because it didn’t want you to suffer just by being by your side. Don't you know the extent they've all gone through for you, and what they'd think knowing that you're acting like this despite all that?"

It was Red's turn to be silent, yet again finding herself cornered by Cynthia, a circumstance he did not expect, much like the entirety of the evening they'd spent together. 

“Or do they mean nothing to you now?” Cynthia knew that it was now hurt that was welling up insider her, and it upset her more knowing that Red hadn't realized that he was hurting her the same way he'd hurt Lisia. 

Do  _ I _ mean nothing to you?

Red found herself facing the ground, his expression darkening, unable to meet the Sinnoh Champion's eyes. 

_ "Look at me."   _ Cynthia said. It was another sentence similar to what Lisia had said; in a cruel contrast, Red instead found herself turning away, as if he didn't want to repeat the same mistake again. In a way, he'd denied her in a similar way he'd denied Lisia, the way he'd denied everyone else who'd wanted to help him, even as they regretted over their fear. 

"Red, don't be scared.  _ Look at me. _ "

There was still no response: he still refused to face her. 

"Red, please… don't do this." She felt her heart twist as on him, but her mind went blank at what she saw. She did not resist the way she gasped next. 

“Red, are you…?”

For a moment in time, Cynthia saw a side of Red that she, and perhaps no one else, had never seen before. There was no hat or mask, his uncovered face shielded only by his thick raven hair, hiding part of the miserable expression he was making, looking so soft, so open…

So  _ vulnerable. _

Red didn’t expect him to be in a reminiscent state that he’d wrought upon Lisia so soon. He tried to resist, turning away from Cynthia and attempting to slide the mask on once more to cover himself. He couldn’t possibly bother her with this—

“ _ No _ ,” He said through gritted teeth, trying to steel himself amidst the water that was fast falling from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Cynthia, I—”

“Don’t fight it,” Cynthia grabbed hold of Red’s arm once more, though this time, she made sure to grab the uninjured one. “Don’t resist. I didn’t back then, and you stood there for me… let me do the same.”

There was a sign of slacking, but part of him still resisted. Cynthia knew she needed to press on. 

“Please…” Cynthia's was a pleading voice amidst her efforts to help him. “You’re not the only one who’s sad seeing you like this. Let me be here for you. Let me  _ help _ you.”

Following a moment's standstill, she felt the weight on her body after she finished that statement. She resisted the urge to let out her voice; even as she knew she'd welcomed him in after she'd cracked him open, she hadn't expected the sudden move he'd made. Yet again she found herself on the receiving end on something she'd started: she remembered the embrace she'd given him before bidding him farewell all those years ago. 

“It’s okay,” Cynthia’s whispered, her grip softening on Red's arm, her fingers reaching to touch Red's. It was an act of comfort, not from her own desire from holding his hand just as he did then, but an act to soothe him. Memories of when she’d last embraced him resurfaced, and though they were contrasted by the cold sensation that stood out amidst the rough edges of the skin, she steeled herself against the feel of his fingers in remembrance of their previously warm and comforting touch.  And although it wasn’t a particularly tight embrace, Cynthia could feel the way his chest was well-built, another reminder of the strength he’d garnered since they last met, a more detailed sensation than when she’d first fell onto him in the Chasm. She felt the color rush to her face at that conscious thought, but it was quickly overshadowed by the delicate sadness of the given moment. 

“It’s as you’ve said earlier… the aches of old wounds are necessary reminders. But they should remind you of how you have people to rely on. And you should remember what you did for me,” She continued. She realized that she'd pushed Red over the edge, but she knew that it was a rare moment for him, and she needed to make it a helpful experience, using the pain of his own wounds and statement in an attempt to strengthen him. “I cried back then, I cried about my own experiences when I was young, and you didn’t run or fear me for it. Now it’s your turn to be honest, and I won’t go anywhere.”

When was the last time Red had tears to shed? When was the last time Red allowed himself to remorse over the bitter times that plagued his years? And when was the last time Red released all restraint to cry on someone else? Reminded of his mother's murder and the destruction of his town—and the destruction that he himself would threaten to bring since — Red now allowed his heart to be honest for once on the melancholy of everything that had happened.

And what had he done to deserve this? He was selfless, but such selflessness had cost him. Although she’d managed to steel herself to stomach the truth when she’d first learnt it from Blue and Professor Oak, the cruel reminder of the horrible experiences he’d been through seeped through her once more, and she could feel the dampness of her tears well up on her gray eyes, allowing them to slid down from her eyes and land on Red's shoulders, weeping for the broken man she now held in her embrace. Bracing his body upon hers began to speed up her heartbeat even more, but Cynthia's only thought was to comfort the man before her, even as she too felt her strength slipping away. 

"Don't cry," Red's voice seemed to be recovered slightly, and he immediately took to calming Cynthia down after realizing that he'd bothered her. "It has nothing to do with—"

"Then listen to me," "It's okay to cry. That's why I'm letting you do it right now. That's why I willingly cried back then too… why I'm crying right now. Back at the Chasm, and back when we were kids… it's important to find those who you're willing to let yourself out to. Just like me to you. It should go both ways, unless..." 

There was another silence. 

"You're not going to deny me, are you?" She did not finish her sentence, instead giving yet another question stemming from another stubborn, unconvinced fear she'd harboured. 

Red gazed into Cynthia's glittering eyes once more, a reminder of the same hopeful gaze she'd given her at the Chasm, where he'd given her his jacket as a way of reassuring it. It had been a kindness, one he felt he owned the Sinnoh Champion, who he'd met yet forgotten for all those years. The question she just asked reverberated in his mind, and while it may not have held the weight that Lisia's confession had, Red knew that he could not go back on his word. 

Not after tonight. 

"No," He felt the need for resistance fade with his latest sentence. He found himself extending his hand, wiping away a speck of water that remained on Cynthia's eyes as her flow of tears began to dissipate.

“There,” Cynthia gently released herself from Cynthia's embrace, a profound relief gained from his answer, even as she felt herself already missing the way he felt. “Do you feel a bit better after that?”

“Thank you." It was a heartfelt gratitude, one that elicited a smile that was equally genuine.

“It’s only fair I returned the favour,” Cynthia said, a cozy feeling welling up within her. Cynthia had faced these losses far earlier than he had, and perhaps it was due to that that she’d realized how she’d said the right words. To that, there was an odd satisfaction building up within her. “Both for what happened when we were kids, and during the Chasm…”

There was a soaring sound, followed by a burst, then another in the same order. The darkness of the sky came alive with various bursts of color as the moment they had waited for had finally arrived. From the height they were at, the dazzling fireworks spectacle meant that Red had indeed made a wise choice.

The scenery of glittering lights was a blessing, and it was then that the Sinnoh Champion put her hands together and silently whispered in prayer, murmuring silently. Red watched her with another puzzled look, wondering what she was doing. Cynthia realized that Red was staring at her after she broke from her silent prayer. 

“My sister and I used to make prayers during fireworks, thinking they’d be like shooting stars,” Cynthia explained. Much like some of the other festivities they’d experienced earlier, Cynthia and her sister were no stranger to some of the events here than were available in Sinnoh, and fireworks had always held a special meaning to her and her family.

“Maybe you think it’s silly,” Cynthia chuckled, letting the pink stain her cheeks once more.

“I think it’s cute,” He breathed, and this time with a smile reminiscent of the one he held when he'd said that sentence all those years ago. 

She remembered when he’d last said that many years ago, when she was young and naïve and wanted to the strongest in the world; rather than ridicule her for it, he’d found it endearing, and to hear such a compliment again meant more to her more than any of the other times anyone else had said anything similar. There was no verbal response, another sweet smile her reciprocation for giving her words she found herself delighted to hear once more.

“I guess we should go back,” Cynthia said. It was getting quite late, and it would be quite inconsiderate of her to leave her sister and her friends waiting for too long. 

“Maybe you don’t have to,” Red said, with a light inclination of the chin, signalling her to look out into the view below.

She could see a familiar Ice-type Pokemon running along the pathway, with an array of familiar faces close behind; led by her Glaceon, Cynthia could see Caitlin, Shauntal, Skyla, Elesa and Cassandra walking deeper into the facility; Cynthia guessed that Elesa and Skyla had the same idea to spectate the fireworks from the city, though she wished they could join her from the view she was introduced by who she was now with. From the looks of it, they hadn’t realized that she was up there.

“I’m sorry I dragged you all the way here,” Red said with a wry expression. Although Cynthia herself had decided to tag along with him for the night, he still felt guilty for separating her from an enjoyable experience with her love ones. “I hope I didn’t ruin your evening.”

“Not at all,” Cynthia said, giving him yet another of the smiles she’d usually reserve for only those closest to her. “It’s been a wonderful night. But I guess you’re right. I should get back to the others. Maybe it’s not too late to catch up to them.”

Her hand remained on his arm, and she felt her grip slipping away more reluctantly that she'd done so when they'd first met that night. Even with that moment of tender, mutual attention between one another, there was still that unfathomable fear, the aching feeling in her that told her that he'd disappear if she'd let her gaze slip for even a moment. 

"We'll be in touch… won't we?"

Red nodded. “You still have my jacket, after all." 

"About that…why don't we meet at Rustburo tomorrow afternoon? I did bring it along with me." She confessed. 

"So  _ you _ were expecting me here." Red said. 

The pinkish hue spread across Cynthia's cheeks once more. "Well, I… I thought it was best to return it to you as soon as possible. I wanted to return it to you after the first round of the tournament, but, obviously, well, I guess things were set up for today."

Red lightly chuckled at the comment. "Perhaps. See you tomorrow, then." He then inclined his chin, gesturing her to hurry to her friends and family. "Go on. Don't keep them waiting." 

It was at that final moment of the evening that Cynthia accepted the ending gratefully, and graced Red with her sweetest smile. “Goodbye, Red. Thank you for tonight…”

He waved his hand in response, and she took the first few steps toward the lift again with an unknowing skip in her step; the attire she wore meant that she’d almost tripped herself, but she caught herself before she could fall on the pavement.

She found herself turning back once more, only to discover that he wasn’t there yet again. It was more surprising to her this time, considering that the next lift was quite a distance away from where they’d last parted, nor was there any sign of a soaring silhouette amidst the colorfully illuminated night sky.

Within the pause there was a moment of hesitation. But within her there was most sweetness, for it was that night that Cynthia finally knew: Red wasn’t just someone who’d simply rescued her. He wasn’t someone she merely respected; wasn't someone she merely cared about. No, she’d finally realized there was more to that.

He was the one who’d found his way into her heart.

“What a cruel man you are,” She breathed, and she found herself running with her fleeting feelings once more, just as she did on the starlit, cold night of the Chasm.


	10. Chapter 9: Omen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red meets a mysterious woman who tells him of disaster of the past and those forthcoming...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so, this is a bit of deja vu here: I kinda had a long absence before this arc was posted in the old iteration and now I decided to do it again. A mix of unforseen circumstances (and editor bails) have really steered my off course for reworking and cleaning this fic up, but I really didn't want to keep you all waiting much longer (although I already have). I'm very, very, extremely sorry for neglecting this for so long, but I'll keep my capabilities realistic this time to grant you all as best of a reading experience as possible.
> 
> I'm also posting this chapter just as Chinese New Year's started, so Happy Chinese New Year to all my fellows who celebrate it! I might need to polish this chapter a little bit as well, but I really wanted to post this chapter for the new year.
> 
> Also, I've had this presumption from various people during my previous iteration and have had a lot of misunderstandings because of it, but I'm going to be transparent with you all here and now; the new character I'm introducing is fairly significant to the plot, but she is NOT a love interest, and there will be no more additional love interests on Red's part beyond Cynthia and Lisia from here on out.

 

**Earth and Sky Chapter 9: Omen**

The watery sound of a cascading stream welcomed Red and Wallace as they entered the cavern; the vicinity was surprisingly bright, accentuated by the shiny, silvery color of the rocks surrounding them, and a ceiling of stalactites, sharp and blunt, hung above them like chandeliers decorating a hall. The air around them was humid, and the glistening of waterdrops surrounding them resembled a starry sky in daylight. The waterfall— _waterfalls_ , another above and another below coming into view of those who walked a farther distance beyond the instance—made a multi-step waterfall that was varnish clear, settling into a final punchbowl a few flights beneath where the two powerful Trainers now stood. 

“This is Meteor Falls,” Wallace gestured toward the series of waterfalls of which the venue was given its name, “I figured you might be interested in a place like this.”

Nodding toward Wallace without a word, Red enjoyed the ephemeral view and the cool surrounding air that was much more comfortable than the summer heat that was prominent throughout the region to him. The natural beauty that entered him in sight, sound, and touch was reminiscent of the welcoming embrace of Mount Silver's diverse wilderness, allowing him to appreciate the newly discovered venue all the more. The absence of any immediate sign of Pokemon was a distinct quality from home, but that only further added to the tranquil atmosphere, with nothing vitiating the soothing sounds of the waterfalls that seemed to ring almost as harmoniously as they were physically linked to one another.

The two walked for a few more minutes before they stumbled upon a familiar face in a corner of the cave, tinkering sounds coming from where the person was kneeling. Steven Stone appeared to be observing a large, cracked rock with his tools, dressed smartly in his common tuxedo despite his current, staining work.

The Devon heir slid up his working goggles and turned around as noticed he two visitors; Steven's expression was initially pleasant as he waved toward Wallace upon noticing his arrival, but the smile on his face turned slightly wry as he saw who Wallace had brought along with him. 

“Nice to see you, Red,” The silver-haired man nodded, and he was met with the same gesture by Red. “Welcome to Meteor Falls.”

“Weren’t you supposed to be busy back at Mossdeep today?” Wallace pretended to stroke his chin, “I see you can’t resist your old habits, as usual.”

Steven stifled an awkward laugh with a sigh, appearing to have no proper rebuttal for that statement. Wallace paid attention to his close friend’s eyes as he did so, recognizing the connotation that Steven's gaze held. 

“I guess I couldn't resist after all. Do pardon me, though, Red, but there's something I want to talk about with Wallace. Would you be alright with exploring the place on your own? I imagine it'd be a good experience to see the sights for yourself."

Steven's suggestion seemed to relieve Red slightly. It was actually in his thoughts exactly that he would indeed enjoy going around a place like this by himself, but he didn't want to be rude to Wallace who had escorted him all the way here. 

“I was going to show him around, actually," Wallace said, though he knew full well that Red would agree to Steven's suggestion. "Are you sure you'll be fine looking around by yourself?"

"Of course," Red said. "Please, don't let me interrupt."

"Thank you. And please take care of the place,” Steven said. “This is a very important heritage site.”

"Well, that's decided, then. Oh, and remember to head back to Sootopolis later. I imagine Lisia's about to go looking for you right about now,” As Wallace looked into Red’s eyes seeking a reaction, he saw no noticeable expression, leaving him wondering if there was truly no new development between his niece and the Trainer before him. Deciding not to dwell on it too much, he then smiled and waved, putting his arm around Steven's shoulder as he led him toward the entrance. “We’ll see you soon."

Nodding again, Red began to venture out in the opposite direction, and as Wallace and Steven split up from the World Champion for a certain distance as they allowed him to explore the falls at his leisure, Steven suddenly spoke up. 

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring him here?”

“It’s unusual to see you minding someone coming to the Falls,” Wallace released his arm from Steven's shoulder; the unexpected force from the gesture came from him not expecting the topic that Steven had proposed. “I could’ve taken him to the Shoal Cave, but don’t you think that’s too odd of a spot to take a guest, even if said guest happens to be Red of all people? Given how he apparently didn’t sleep in his own hotel room last night, I’d say this is as good of a place as I can think of.”

“It’s not about the propriety,” Steven adjusted his collar from the mess Wallace just made of it. “It’s just…you know what happened the other day, right? Well, what _could’ve_ happened…”

“What are you worried about?” Wallace asked, looking slightly puzzled. “If I’m not worried about it—and if my niece is more than happy with it—why should _you_ be?”

“He acted…dangerously during the battle,” Steven said, pausing slightly. The exhibition battle between Lisia and Red during the first round of the World Tournament had admittedly disturbed him, and his arrival under Lisia’s request to Hoenn, while understandable, felt slightly disconcerting. “Fine, I admit that I’m worried if something like that’s going to happen again. You told me that it was just an accident that came from poor sleeping habits, but is that really all it is?”

“Exactly. He’s already feeling guilty enough as it is, so you don’t have to worry about him doing it again. Besides, Lisia did end up overestimating herself in the heat of the moment, so you Red can’t be the only one to be blamed for all this.”

“I understand that…I just feel the need to be careful, that’s all. I can’t really explain why, though.”

“Yes, it does seem unusual for you to be so vigilant. Unless of course…” A sly smile rose to Wallace’s lips, “You’re concerned that it’ll happen to _you_?”

“What are you saying—”

“Perhaps you’re doubting your chances against him yourself? Has our spoiled, up-and-coming heir suddenly become serious about the World Tournament even after he’s left me to take his place as local Champion?”

“Well, I…” The expression he made pleased Wallace even more, knowing that he’d caught him for a moment. “I’m not _too_ concerned. You know I never really wanted the big title and gave it to you because of the weight it's had on me. And he’s the three-time World Champion for a reason. You can't say it's unusual that he’d command such respect on anyone."

 “I guess you’re right,” Wallace said. “Maybe you're just overthinking things. Then again, the press has been saying wild things about them. I just hope they’ll be okay with it.”

“I suppose you're right about that I'm getting more paranoid than I should be. And they’re both no strangers to fame; I guess they both see it differently, though Red's personal view on it is less transparent,” Steven sighed, deciding to not dwell on his concern further. He then decided to move on to his next query which had he—and likely a majority of the region—were curious about for some time.

“That said, are things _actually_ official now? Red and Lisia, I mean.”

“I don’t know, to be honest. It’s really up to my niece if she truly wants to take things seriously with him, and even then…there’s his side of the matter that she needs to get through to as well. I imagine she wants to take things in her own hands, just as she always does." Lisia had not told Wallace about any of her plans and intended development when it came to their Kanto-native guest; 

"I will admit, however, that I would’ve felt very rewarded if she’d decided to consult me on romantic advice.”

“Well, I doubt your niece thinks you’re the _best_ source of romantic advice, now, does she?” Steven smiled back, having found the right opportunity to jab back at Wallace after he’d teased him earlier. He remembered having a drink with Wallace where the latter had drowned his sorrows over an argument with his romantic partner just before they'd planned for their arrival to the World Tournament. 

A hint of color fumed on Wallace's cheeks, and he remembered that Lisia also seemed to be aware of the little fallout that Steven just mentioned. Wondering if Lisia had not consulted him due to that, he took his friend in a hold and scratched Steven's silver hair to hide his embarrassment. 

"Alright, you can't chart my expertise that way over one, and I mean _one_ slip up—"

The moment of banter was interrupted by a sudden ringing noise; Wallace reached for his pocket and withdrew his PokeNav, his face paling slightly as he noticed who called. 

“Like I was saying,” Steven chuckled, freeing himself from Wallace's grip. “You don't have to be any more dramatic when I say this, but I imagine she’s still upset with you.”

Gulping, Wallace took the call, hoping for at least not the worst, if he could've have the best.“Hello, Winona. I was just taking Red around…”

The caller seemed to speak frantically through her end of the phone; though Steven couldn't hear her clearly, Winona's tone and the way she was speaking suggested some degree of urgency, and in time, the resigned expression on Wallace's face suddenly faded. 

“…Pardon?” He muttered, as if in disbelief. "But how?"

The call seemed to end before Wallace could respond, however, and as the Sootopolian put his Pokenav back in his pocket almost mechanically, Steven suddenly saw an expression on Wallace’s face that he’d rarely, if ever, see—it wasn’t an expression he’d make because of another sour argument with his partner.

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, concerned. 

“We have to go to Ever Grande immediately," Wallace said.

* * *

Cynthia and Cassandra were having breakfast in another separate dining hall reserved for them in Rustburo's Devon Hotel; sharing the same table with them were Shauntal and Caitlin as well as Skyla and Elesa, the latter two of whom were not present with the sisters for lunch the previous afternoon. The dining hall was more cramped than usual given the additional number of guests and their Pokemon, but everyone present managed to enjoy the hearty breakfast served to them.

“I know you tend to be too busy at times, Cynthia, but ditching us to find a man is a new low if I’ve ever seen one,” Elesa said.

“You should’ve seen the look on Shauntal’s face when she learned from Caitlin that you’d sent your Glaceon to tell us that you’ve run off with him,” It was Skyla who next spoke, giggling. “She looked like she was going to fly off like a rocket!”

Cynthia smiled wryly as she took another bite of the hotel’s well-prepared food. Although it wasn’t on the Sinnoh Champion’s mind throughout her date the previous night—if she could ever call it such—she was well aware of the fact that she would be confronted on the topic by her friends sooner or later, though she had a night’s respite from the fireworks that they enjoyed at the Slateport festival the night before. It had definitely been among her most enjoyable nights she’d ever experienced, even if there were some bumps along the way.

“Like I said many times last night, I’m really sorry about that…” Cynthia said. “I just…couldn’t see a better time to meet him again. That’s all…”

“Speaking of, _will_ you be meeting him again?” Elesa asked. “You still have his jacket, right? Didn’t you say that you wanted to return it to him?”

Cynthia remembered how she had arranged to meet with him at the hotel that afternoon; she was slightly concerned about the outcome of them meeting even if only to return his jacket, and she had wondered how they would be able to meet privately, especially given the circumstances surrounding Red.

She wasn't about to let that slip out, however. 

“Who knows?” For the first time, she managed to let out a smug smile amidst the conversation amidst the expectant gazes of her friends. 

"Come on, sis, tell us about it!" Cassandra said, her mouthful of food causing the words to come out muffled. "I wanna meet Red myself too, you know!"

“Well, as much as I can appreciate your enthusiasm, girls, I think I don’t need to tell you that if any word of this comes out, it’s going to be bad for not only Cynthia, but for Lisia and Red as well,” Caitlin said, sipping her tea. "I ask that you be considerate of all sides involved."

“How scandalous…” Shauntal did her best to cover the smile that was on her face with a gloved hand, the other still vigorously taking notes. Caitlin sighed at the umpteenth sight of her Elite Four colleague getting carried away again.

“Well, I guess you’re right there. I'm sorry for getting carried away,” Elesa said. The model was no stranger to the tabloids and their gossip, and she decided to be consideration. “Still, I would assume you’d at least asked him if he and Lisia have officially hooked up now?”

“He refused to say anything,” Cynthia said, doing her best to remain composed. She already knew the truth behind the matter, and although she was slightly relieved about it, she knew she had to respect the privacy of Red's current situation. “And understandably so. I think the best assumption is that it's up in the air."

“By the way, I’m still upset that only Caitlin gets to know the details about what went on that started all this in the first place,” Shauntal said. Perhaps she was using Elesa and Skyla’s presence to further coerce either Cynthia or Caitlin into the answer she wanted. “Like, how _bad_ would it be for us to know?”

“Bad or not, she promised to keep it secret out of respect,” Caitlin said, her brow furrowed. “Respect I’d expect you to give, be it for us or him. I didn’t feel very good about prying either, so take it from me that it’s really not something you want to know about.”

"Still, what an unexpected development, right! I only asked you about any possible love interests you had a few days ago, Cynthia, and lo and behold, the one guy that you've found so memorable just happens to share a single night with you and he's already had you smitten over him!"

An abrupt booming noise came from outside, causing Cassandra to bolt and huddle herself in her sister's chest; with it followed the sound of rain as a shower of droplets splattered onto the nearby window. 

“It’s raining?” Caitlin raised a brow, yawning slightly. "Good weather for sleep, no doubt, but this is very unusual."

“It’s supposed to be summer, though, isn’t it? Even the weather forecast. And I was about to head to Mossdeep to fly a little today!” Skyla said, sighing in slightly disappointment. 

Cynthia gently stroked her sister's head to soothe her. Although the Sinnoh Champion usually appreciated the rain despite how it ocassionally interfered with her work, the way the water splattered like rocks on the window was disturbing; it was unusually heavy given the summer, and she didn't know how long it was going to last. It would likely affect the flights back to Unova that evening as well. More importantly, it also meant that it would be difficult for Red to meet up with her in this weather, and they would likely have to meet up at a later time if they were allowed to, if not back at the World Tournament itself.

The Sinnoh Champion wasn't worried about their delayed meet-up, however; she was more concerned about her suddenly remembering the little she knew about Hoenn's history, and how the current circumstances reminded her of it. _Something that suggested the country's history of oft-maligned weather..._

“Hang on…” Cynthia muttered. She stood up from her seat and took the remote on the wall,turning on the nearby TV. And as she had surmised—

“An unexpected series of rain seems to have hit most of Hoenn’s southwestern regions. Thunderstorms are now underway in Rustburo, Dewford, Verdanturf and Mauville. All citizens of these cities are advised to stay indoors until the situation subsides."

* * *

Left alone in the Meteor Falls, Red had chosen to enjoy the quiet atmosphere he was blessed with, knowing that he would likely not have the chance to experience it for quite a while after this first instance. The Pokemon World Tournament would be continuing tomorrow, and he would have to depart to Unova on his Charizard later in the night. He'd chosen not to venture out into any of the tunnels that led into the cave and instead inspect each waterfall up close; he admired how identical each stream of water seemed to be, such that it was difficult for even his own eyes to make out any difference at first glance. The water was slightly warmer than the river water he would bathe in back at Mount Silver, as well, so it presented him with the perfect opportunity to relish the sensation of the perfect temperature of the water on his body, but he'd decided against it.

His attention was fixated on the central waterfall that connected the two others above and below and the narrow streams that came with them. He didn’t exactly know why he could see it; peering his red, keen eyes into the center of the waterfall, a mildly darker shade was visible through the clear, flowing water, suggesting that there was something underneath it. He wondered if Wallace and Steven were aware of the existence of what seemed to lay beneath the waterfall, and he thought about whether it would be appropriate for him to discover what lay within for himself.

Before Red could make a decision, however, there was a singing noise and a hint of light behind him, forcing him to leap backwards—just in time to avoid the line of purple, draconic fire that suddenly surged from above toward him. 

He then turned to see a Salamence soaring overhead and landing on a nearby rock. It bared its fangs and screeched at him, but Red remained unafraid in the face of its intimidation. Footsteps resounded close by as its Trainer—a girl with black hair and red eyes, much like his own appearance—appeared in the distance, and Red seemed to be drawn by the unusual accessory she was wearing on her ankle. A Whismur waddled along beside her, letting out a shrill cry as it did so, as if it attempted a brave front to chase its perceived intruder away.

“Aww, Aster, you're so cute when you act tough! And you there—” As she petted her Whismur on the head affectionately, she suddenly turned toward Red, the smile on her face unfading. “Just exactly what do you think you’re doing?”

Red stood his ground in silence, eyeing her with a discerning gaze.

“You can’t hide it from me,” She said, turning toward the central waterfall. “I’m surprised anyone could detect that hidden passage among the waterfalls.” Red’s eyes narrowed at the comment—he had gotten confirmation for his assumption.

The girl’s head tilted to the side as if she were pondering on something, before her eyes widened as she obtained her realization.

“Hold on, aren’t you that guy that's hooked up with our local idol that people have been talking about recently? You look a lot like the guy that’s been all over the news too,” Her tone seemed almost contemptuous. “What’s someone like you doing in a place like this?”

Still unspeaking, Red's grip tightened around the first Pokeball he had prepared on his belt; the gesture was more conspicuous given that he wasn't wearing his jacket.

“Fight first, answers later, huh? Fine by me. If you want to go through there, you'll have to go through me. Man up or get lost—though I hope you'll entertain me for my trouble.” The girl then let out a raspy grin like a wild Pokemon enticed by the sight of prey, and pointed a finger toward the Trainer before her. 

At her direction, her Salamence lunged toward them with its wings spread wide and its front claws glowing purple—the speed at which it came at him was fast and relentless, but Red’s eyes remained composed. Before the mysterious woman’s Salamence could reach him, Red’s Charizard had already emerged from its Pokeball on its own, and the opponent’s Dragon Claw attack was intercepted by the same attack from Red’s Charizard, their purple, extended claws colliding in a sound that resembled clashing steel. However, the Flame Pokemon held its own one claw against two—with its other arm free, it wasted no time to swipe another Dragon Claw onto the left side of the Salamence's head during the brief second that lingered following their clash, leaving no chance for further reaction as the powerful, super-effective attack sent Salamence hurtling into the stream below them in a sizable splash. 

The girl was taken aback by the sudden counterattack, but her Salamence emerged from the water and roared defiantly, unwilling to back down just yet. It was a sight that would have relieved its Trainer if it were not for the amount of damage it had taken from a single attack. 

“So you have some fight in you after all,” Her smile widened. “Guess it’s time for me to get serious with you, huh?”

Kneeling down, she caressed what seemed to be a platinum-blue anklet bridged on her left foot; her Salamence bellowed as if to match its trainer, and a rainbow-colored light enveloped both Trainer and Pokemon.

It was Mega Evolution.

 

The light dissipated to reveal the draconic, blue body become more streamlined; its wings melded together to form a single, crescent shaped wing, and the shell-like underbelly it once had turned into an armored, vest-like frame where its hind legs were tucked in, further adding to its streamlined body built for flight. 

Wasting no time to flaunt its newfound change, the Mega Evolved Salamence lunged toward Red's Charizard with another Dragon Claw attack, but this time, the attack came from its massive red wing, glowing the same purple as its claws did during its first attacked. Its aerodynamic body meant that its speed had since increased drastically, and the sliced air that came with its newly curved wings suggested that they were immensely sharp. Knowing this, and rather than face the attack head on this time, Red's Charizard instead flew to the side to evade the attack, evading the sharp tackle as the girl's Mega Salamence continued circling the air, aggravated over its failed assault.

And it was at that moment that Red did the same; his ring met the blue-black orb inlaid in the plating of his Charizard's chest as it roared amidst its flight, the rainbow-colored energy manifesting around it even as it moved, changing the Flame Pokemon's form. The blinding light faded to reveal that its orange body had turned black and blue flames now emerged from its mouth and flame-lit tail,  its limbs and wings visibly more muscular. 

The woman could feel the sweat rising on her face at Red's response, but her frenzied expression displayed how excited she was over their battle. 

“I haven't had so much fun in ages," She curled her frenzied arms to fists, her voice rising. "Salamence, let's show him what we can do! Use Double-Edge!” 

Rather than soar toward Charizard immediately, however, the Dragon Pokemon flew upward—it followed with a swooping descent, and from the distance it soared before it landed, Red could see its body glowing in a bluish-gray hue over the white that Red usually associated with the attack. It was the glow of the Flying-type, and the imminent tackle would be of the same type as it prepared to smash its target below it.

Red’s Mega Charizard remained composed as its newly developed claws glowed the same purple, though with a stronger power after Mega Evolution; as the opposing Mega Salamence rushed toward it from above, it met the brutish attack with Dragon Claw once more, this time with two claws. 

The two attacks collided with each side charging for dominance; gravity meant that Mega Salamence had the advantage, but it was also a weakness that could be exploited. In the middle of the two forces colliding, Mega Charizard suddenly dragged its opponent to the side, directing it toward the ground. 

The girl's eyes widened as her Mega Salamence ran headstrong into the rocky surface of the earth—the force of the attack left a deep crater in its wake, the size of the tremor toward the earth a testament of how much stronger the Pokemon was after it had Mega Evolved. 

It had no time to turn around; another swing from the Mega Charizard's right claw spelled the end of the battle, with the Dragon’s Claw power increased by virtue of Mega Evolution as the attack sent Mega Salamence deeper into the crater it just made, the impact causing an explosion that ruffled up smoke and debris. The two Trainers could only hear the raspy shriek that came with the finishing attack combined with the recoil from the Salamence's Double-Edge, and the smoke eventually cleared to reveal it bruised all over in the very dent on the earth it made, unable to move its limbs any further.  It reverted to its original form in a flurry of orange light as it lay heavily injured and unconscious on the ground, not even having the strength to pant for breath.

Red's Charizard growled triumphantly, and the sight before her caused the woman to sink to her knees, despairing.

“Impossible…”

The battle ended then and there; perhaps Red truly respected what Steven had said and decided to finish as quickly as possible to avoid as much collateral damage as he could.

Despite his victory, Red now watched the girl with keen interest, though his eyes were still unknowable. The girl and her Pokemon with admittedly quite powerful, with remarkable strength and speed behind their attacks; with enough proper training, he could see her match Lance, his native region’s current Champion and renowned Dragon-type Master, if not outright surpass him. Nevertheless, the way she fought with her Pokemon reminded Red of a Tauros charging headstrong into battle without strategy or caution—her Pokemon had been fast and aggressive, but overly so without planning or strategy—it was a shortcoming that gave Red all the openings he needed to defeat her and her Mega Salamence.

She continued staring at him in disbelief; the incarnadine eyes that matched Red’s own suddenly turned to fear, and her Whismur suddenly timidly huddled itself behind her and her cloaked limbs, as if it were a child cuddling in its mother’s arms.

“Who in the world are you?” She breathed. 

“You got the wrong person to pick a fight with, Zinnia.” A voice called out. The two turned above them, and a tall, moustached man with a captain’s hat stood looming above them. He leapt from the rock he stood on and walked toward them, the young woman recognized him as Drake of the Elite Four, and a fellow user of Dragon-types much like she was. “Though I’d say it’s fine for him to be here. He’s sharp, but he should mean no harm. You shouldn’t have bit off more than you can chew, kid.”

“Drake?” She asked, feeling slightly relieved at his presence. “You know this guy?”

“Well, anyone in our field should know this guy. He’s the strongest Trainer alive.”

“Come again?”

“He’s won the World Championship three times now. Most would consider him the strongest Trainer. Besides, I’d think the way you lost to him should be convincing enough, right?” Drake replied. There was a wariness in his eyes as his keen gaze turned to Red, having watched the short battle unfold between him and the girl; the Dragon-type expert had witnessed what was seemingly a spectacle of strength from Red's most powerful Pokemon. 

“Right. It’s an honor to see you in person, Red.” Drake tilted his hat as to salute him despite his status.

Her troubled expression disappeared after hearing Drake's explanation; she then laughed as if she’d heard a ridiculous joke, but her expression then turned into one that now showed great interest in the Trainer that defeated as she settled from her laughter.

“ _Wow_ !” She exclaimed, circling him in skipping movements, clearly gaining some newfound enthusiasm toward the Trainer who had just defeated her. “I guess looks can be deceiving, huh? I don’t know if the other Champions dress up too well or he simply doesn’t care about it that much, though. Either way, you’re right. I found it odd that he wasn’t exactly fighting me that seriously, but now I feel a _lot_ less bad about myself for losing to this guy. He’s actually _fantastic!_ Heck, he might be better than both of our local Champions, huh!”

“Best you not let them hear you,” Drake chuckled.

“So, Red, was it? Sorry about acting the way I did earlier,” Zinnia knelt down to attend to her injured Salamence and her Whismur, the latter of which regarded Red somewhat fearfully. “Don't worry, Aster: everything's alright now. Anyways, I wouldn’t have acted so rashly if I'd realized who you were, Red." 

She then realized that she had yet to properly introduce herself; she pretended to knock her own head with her fist and stuck out her tongue like a playful child caught red-handed.

"Oh, I almost forgot! My name's Zinnia. I'm from an ancient tribe called the Draconids. Please, let me compensate for my behaviour.”

For someone who battled like a Tauros ramming headstrong without much thought or patience, her sudden change in behaviour gave the vibe of being unpredictable. 

“You sure you wanna do this?” Drake said as if he’d realized the girl’s intentions, and he turned to Red once more. “Well, my boy, I want to say that there’s a good reason she’s keeping that area hidden. Not that I doubt your reasons for being here, but—”

“No, it’s fine, Drake. Really, I insist. I should’ve known better—” Zinnia turned toward Red. “your performance earlier was definitely one suited for someone with that title.”

“If you say so,” Drake chuckled, his smile hidden by his long moustache. “I guess you’ll find out what’s under that waterfall after all, Red.”

“Yes, Red. Let me make it up to you,” Zinnia said, beckoning a hand toward the central waterfall as if to lead him to it. “Let me show you personally what’s inside that passage. See you later, Drake!"

And she leapt into the pool of water before her.

* * *

Having followed Zinnia into the water, Red could see an opening beneath the rocks that made the central waterfall that could fit a person through. Several stones floated by him as he saw Zinnia tossing away similar rocks in her way; he presumed that they were used to cover up the hidden passage, which she then proceeded to go through and beckon him to follow, as expected.

Emerging to the surface, faint lines of sunlight slit through an opening in the cavern ceiling, shining upon a patch of lush greenery of what seemed to be edible crops. The sunlight bestowed the pool with a picturesque, luminescent glow, magnifying just how clear the water of the cavern was. A stairway was situated in the distance, suggesting that there was another route underground.

The most notable aspect of the newly discovered place was the massive, spiked wall before them—it was an ancient wall, with depictions of ancient petroglyphs on its surface, though its contents were scattered and unreadable to the common person. As Red emerged and shook his body slightly to rid himself of excess water, he eyed a particular section of the petroglyphs at the left-most corner of the wall. From what little Red could make out of it, it depicted two beasts fighting one another as the surrounding people suffered amidst the destruction, the beasts presumably ancient Pokemon.   

Eyeing Red’s attention on that particular section of the ancient inscriptions, Zinnia, who did not seem to bother to dry herself off as she emerged from the water, began to speak as if she were a teaching a curious child.

“Long ago, at a time where primordial energy once flowed in all things, the titans of the land and the sea—Groudon and Kyogre—violently clashed over dominance over said energy. The people could do nothing but watch as the earth cracked beneath them and the waves swallowed all in their wake. So what were the people to do, then? Did their clash not destroy our world? Why is Hoenn the way it is today despite that happening?”

Red turned to Zinnia and listened attentively, knowing that she was explaining something new to him, something that admittedly piqued his interest. Appreciating his response, the Draconid girl smiled as she continued with her story. 

“What do you think of when I say a meteoroid will crash onto this very earth? You’d think disaster and destruction, correct? But instead, the falling of meteoroids along with the destruction was what made the very falls we stand on now—the very falls and the very place you see before you now, where I and my tribe of the ancient Draconids call home. If you’ve come along with that Wallace person, Sootopolis was made through a crater of another meteoroid strike—but that’s later into our tale.”

“And with the falling of those meteoroids—” Zinnia then pointed toward a section of the petroglyph that depicted a long, draconic being descending from below. “Came Rayquaza—the shining savior of a Pokemon in its emerald glow descended upon us, and its power overwhelmed the two Primal Pokemon as they returned to their ages-long slumber. The meteoroids resonated with the people’s fervent wish—the phenomenon we call Mega Evolution as of today—and that was what brought Rayquaza down to earth and quell the calamitous duel between the Primal Reversion Pokemon, though the people did not know of it at first.”

“And you’d think things end with a happily ever after again. Well, generation after generation, meteoroids from a space beyond the heavens—a space beyond our knowing—continued to blight our world. The meteorite that created Sootopolis was but an example that caused destruction during the time of its wake, but the land grew to blend harmoniously with the sea as many, many years passed. The destruction of a thousand years past was wrought by the reawakening of Groudon and Kyogre, as the meteoroid’s impact had shattered the land and sea, spilling the concealed primordial energy once more.”

“With the people’s greatest fears reawakened with the Primal Pokemon, they could only wish yet again that the great Rayquaza would descend upon them once more—and so their wish manifested in a form of an incandescent glow of the very meteorite that made Sootopolis, since buried deep within the land. Rayquaza fell before the people once more!” Zinnia then pointed toward another iteration of the long, glowing Pokemon in the petroglyphs, seemingly changing form, and growing larger, stronger, and more dignified.

“The glow, reminiscent of the fervent wish that dwelt in the people wishing for salvation, caused Rayquaza’s appearance to change—it was the first sighting of Mega Evolution! Its newfound form brewed terrible winds as its strength quelled that of Groudon and Kyogre once more. With the world at peace yet again, Rayquaza returned to its original form and soared into the heavens yet again.”

“Murals of the Sky Pillar illustrate this story clearly—the pillar where Rayquaza would, at times, drop to Roost from its dwelling place, high above us…but as many believe the story comes to an end at its summit…the story doesn’t end there in truth.”

“Although this mural only seems like a recollection of all the murals, it also signifies the cycle between Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza will continue on and on…and how the people, through the passage of time and their development, became less faithful toward the Dragon Pokemon to save their world. As technology grows, people have long sought to overcome these disasters by themselves...” Her voice grew bitter at the very mention of that reality, a stark contrast from the jubilant tone she’d maintained throughout her interaction with him.“Do you think we can just wish for the Pokemon to aid us every time like some savior? Must this be the cycle we must all go through?”

“And the more this goes on, the sooner our world—if not any others—will be led toward the path of destruction.”

“There are a lot of murals scattered across the region, some more known than others. This is the only one that I’ve kept to myself. Not even that Stone guy knows about it,” Red might have imagined it, but there was a lingering bitterness in her tone when she mentioned what was presumably Steven’s surname.

“Then why conceal it?” Red asked.

"Good question…yes, why do conceal all this, if the good people of Hoenn—of the world—must be enlightened on the disasters that blight our world of days past, and those to come for our future?”

There was a pause, but Red said nothing; Zinnia was not awaiting an answer from him, however.

“What do you think people would do if they knew about this? Would they open their eyes? Would they, in their newfound guilt and enlightenment, revert to the old ways once more knowing the ruin it causes?”

“No, absolutely not—they would simply continue with what they’re doing in their efforts to stop it by themselves, ignorant of the destruction that they can cause in the process.”

She was a woman wronged by society.

There was a hard, crunching noise, and Red’s attention turned to Zinnia’s Salamence, which had recovered from its injuries slightly. It was, strangely enough, munching on the silver rocks that littered the section of the cavern.

“What’s wrong? Never seen a dragon eat rocks before? Just kidding~ These rocks are actually very special. They’re the very rocks similar to those that Rayquaza used to use for Mega Evolution. Think of it as a steroid. You have a Mega Pokemon too, right? Give it a try.” Zinnia said.

She tossed a piece of rock toward Red and he caught it in his hand. Releasing Charizard from its Pokeball once more, he then handed the rock to the Pokemon beside him; though his Charizard was sceptical at first, it collected the rock from its Trainer’s hand and crunched it in its teeth before swallowing it, showing no signs of discomfort or displeasure at the action.

“I want to say that it’s rare that I see someone like you…I’m not up to the task of beating our current Champion yet, but unlike my previous fight with him, you absolutely squashed us.” As Zinnia's eyes met Red's, she noticed that his attention was still focused on her Salamence eating away at the pile of rocks.

“I can tell you’re still interested,” Zinnia said, her smile almost cunning. “Is this the part where I act all cryptic and say there’s a price to pay if you want more? Well, more specifically, you want some more of these rocks, don’t you?”

“Why are you telling me all this?” Red answered her question with a question of his own.

 “What’s wrong? You don’t think good information is enough compensation for how I behaved earlier?”

“I don’t mean that,” Red said. “I thought you didn’t trust me.”

“I still don’t _fully_ trust you,” Zinnia corrected, smiling at him as if to commend him for being observant. “You got that right, anyway. Heck, I don’t think you even fought me seriously back there, which is why I was really surprised when I heard you were the best Trainer—and I was scared too. I wouldn’t say these rocks don’t work, after all, and I’m surprised you’re already this strong to beat us when we’ve already had so much of them.  I was scared knowing that you haven’t even let me see how strong you are yet.”

Yet again, Red did not respond, leaving a moment's pause that was left for Zinnia to break.

“What is your desire?” Zinnia asked, “What do you want with all your power?”

“Nothing." He replied, flatly. 

Zinnia frowned. “You mean to tell me you wanting for all your power and your efforts to get it? I don't buy it."

"You do not need desire to gain power. What I have is simply a result of my own experiences."

“No. I can see it in you still—you want power despite where you are now. Perhaps you desire neither rule nor recognition. Maybe it’s because you’ve been forced to have such power and the responsibility that comes with it…the only other reason why you’d fight would be…loss. Losing not only in Pokemon battles. Time? A loved one? What was meant to be yours? And striving for all of that…is because you don’t want to lose anymore. You can keep your mouth shut about it, but I can see it in your eyes, you know?”

“What?” 

“I like to think I can know a person through their eyes.” Zinnia said. "As for what I can say for yours, well, they’re sharp, cold, and..they’re eyes that have suffered, as if no one else could compare to what you’ve bring through…but eyes that have wrought as much suffering as you yourself have experienced.”

Red’s eyes narrowed at the comment—was the girl truly as keen as she made herself to be, or was she simply making a lucky guess?

“Sorrow, anger, hate…they are emotions that can cause you to hurt others as much as they can hurt you. And with these emotions, you’re lost in a paradox of your own power—fearing both the fact that you won’t be strong enough to protect those you care about, but also fearing that your very own strength may be the very reason why the same people will be harmed.”

“What would you know?” Red stated, plainly.

“Look back to the other day,” Zinnia said, staring into Red’s eyes with her own, her intensity matching the World Champion’s as if she were looking in a mirror. “I don’t know you too well yet, but I at least know what you’ve done. What you _could’ve_ done, anyway. You almost hurt her, didn’t you?”

Red found his lips shutting tighter at the comment—while the fact that he’d almost hurt Lisia had been a consistent, cruel reminder that he'd slowly desensitized himself of given the past two days, the way the girl had said so struck him harder given how well she'd seen through him despite the fact that they just met. 

Just who _was_ this girl?

“I’m not criticizing you,” Zinnia sighed. “I just thought I’d state what I thought was right, and it looks like I am, judging from your reaction. And I suppose I can read you because…you and I are quite alike. We’ve lost things that are precious to us. We’ve made our mistakes and we’ve hurt others. And we are now the products of our choices, failures and successes, even as the world goes on, never knowing if it will take away yet another thing from us…I guess that’s why you’re fighting, isn’t it? Because it’s what you do best. But fighting goes both ways. You can fight for good...or you might turn the wrong way in the end. To be evil."

“I am not evil.”

“Correction: no one is firmly good or evil. The two are interchangeable at any time, depending on what works best or who the stronger of the two is deep down inside. I'm sure someone like you can understand that."

“Maybe you aren’t all bad. Maybe you have your own good reasons for why you fight, and the strength that comes from all your fighting. I  suppose you desire nothing because you've lost something precious and you fear of losing it again. And if that Hoenn idol’s forgiven you even after that, I imagine there’s something worth seeing in you after all.” 

As Zinnia finished, she let out a smile that was heartfelt, as if there was something comforting about having seen through the Trainer she has brought to her home.

“Zinnia!”

A high voice suddenly called out to her, and there was a clacking noise; the two turned to see an old woman in robes walking toward them, holding a walking stick for support, her expression visibly displeased.

“Who is this?” She asked. “It’s unlike you to bring outsiders from the world above to us. Was he the one responsible for that quake earlier?”

“It’s alright, grandma. I just made a mistake,” she giggled. “By challenging this person here. He’s the man who’s said to the best of the best, and that quake was just me experiencing his skill first hand.” Zinnia then looked at the Trainer before her with a new glint in her eyes, a look that suggested that she’d saw something new.

“I know that look, Zinnia,” Zinnia’s grandmother said, eyeing her granddaughter with a keen look. “What are you suggesting?”

“I wasn’t so sure of it earlier, but now maybe…just maybe…I think he’s the one we’re looking for.”

“He’s an outsider,” She spat, glaring at Red. “You know full well what the outsiders are capable of.” The old woman’s acerbic words were another affirmation that the people who dwelled here had some bitterness toward the outside world—a bitterness that Zinnia had inherited, a resentment toward the outside world that Red too, had stayed away from for his own reasons.

“He’s different,” Zinnia said, causing her grandmother’s brow to furrow at her rebellious tone. “Or at least I think he is. I didn’t bring him here on a whim, after all, so you can trust my judgment. Besides, all we did was share a thoughtful conversation with one another—” She then laughed, knowing that she’d done most of the talking throughout that nearly one-sided exchange. “Or I suppose it was just me babbling about the whole time.”

“I’ll allow this instance,” The old woman said, after a sigh. “However, I must implore you that you’ll tell no one of our existence here—absolutely not. Do you understand?”

“You have my word."

“He doesn’t speak much. I doubt he’ll let something as trivial as this slip.”

“Well, if you’re done making merry here, then it’s about time you went on your way,” The old woman said, her tense expression slacking slightly.

“As should I. I didn’t come out just to see if I had new Trainers to challenge,” “But it was well worth the delay!”

Zinnia then turned to Red as she prepared herself to jump through the waterfall again.

“Don’t worry! This won’t be the last time you see me—at least, it won’t be the last time you see me _ever_.” Zinnia said. “Though I hope the next time we meet I hope I’ll have a much…warmer reception. Bye!”

Waving, Zinnia disappeared into the waterfall with a splash.

* * *

A grim silence settled into hallway as Steven and Wallace eyed what was within one of the Pokemon Center's hospital rooms. They were joined by Winona, the Fortree City Gym Leader, as well as Ice-type user and Elite Four Member Glacia, as they too looked into the room before them with concerned looks. 

Two injured patients lay on a bed side by side in the Ever Grande Pokemon Center; one of the girls was significantly taller than the other, with a Mimikyu huddled beside the shorter of the two, its artificial head bobbing as it wailed in the face of its unconscious Trainer. Nurse Joy was inside the room examining their condition, busy with a series of computer scans with a Chansey assisting beside her. A group of injured Ghost-type Pokemon that included a Dusknoir, a Pallosand, and some others were being treated in the room adjacent to theirs by a staff of doctors, nurses as well as some Audino and Chansey. Despite everything, however, none of the patients appeared to be in any immediate danger. 

“How could this have happened…” Wallace muttered, biting his lip.

“That’s Acerola of the Alola region, right? I can understand why she’d be here with Phoebe, but…what happened to them?” Steven asked, recognizing the young girl that was beside his fallen Elite Four colleague.

“Yes, that’s Acerola. And they were attacked at Mt. Pyre,” Winona revealed, her arms crossed in front of her. “We didn’t know who did it; some regulars just found them and their Pokemon there and contacted us immediately. But if they’re capable of beating two Elite Four members like that, we’re up against some pretty strong enemies.”

Steven did not stop questioning there, knowing that they had been attacked at one of the most vital places of power in the Hoenn region; there was only one thing on Mt. Pyre that warranted a hostile visit.

“…And the orbs?”

“Stolen,” Glacia said. “I’ve put the Weather Institute on alert. We don’t know if it’s going to happen again.”

Steven pinched his forehead at the unforeseen event. “Are they going to be okay?”

“They were knocked out, but they’ll recover soon. However, we’ve found this strange substance injected into their injuries.” Nurse Joy suddenly walked out of the hospital room and held out a vial that was filled with a small dose of viscous, almost transparent purple liquid. “This is one of the strangest substances we’ve seen in a while. We initially thought it to be some form of toxin, but apart from existing in their bloodstream, there are almost no harmful symptoms at present, causing no harm whatsoever. Nevertheless, we should still keep an eye on them.”

“We shouldn’t let our guard down,” Wallace said, “Though this suggests that whoever attacked them did not aim to kill.”  

“I’m afraid that’s not exactly true,” Glacia said, her voice grim.

“What do you mean?” Wallace said.

 “Phoebe’s _grandmother_ was killed.” Glacia revealed.

The news drained the color from Wallace’s composed face. Phoebe’s grandmother had served as warden to the Red and Blue Orbs for many years, and the orbs were catalysts to an ancient power slumbering within the land and sea of Hoenn itself.

“It can’t be…” Wallace said, her voice trailing off.

“I’m not sure if Phoebe knows yet…but I can’t imagine her reaction when she does,” Glacia said, eyeing Phoebe as she lay unconscious on her bed. Phoebe had always been the ray of sunshine among Hoenn's Pokemon League members, and the Ice-type Pokemon Trainer felt disheartened to think of the change that would come when she would finally know of the demise of her beloved grandmother.

“Regardless of who’s done this, our first priority should be to prepare ourselves in the event it happens again.” Wallace said. 

“It already is happening,” Glacia said. “We’ve found traces of rain around Rustburo and the rest of the southwestern area. It may only be a matter of time…”

“That’s where Cynthia and her friends are…” Steven exclaimed, remembering the fact that he just mentioned.

“Cynthia’s here too?” Wallace exclaimed, slightly surprised that the Sinnoh Champion had also decided to come to Hoenn for vacation. “I can only hope the rain doesn't put them in harm's  way."

"They won't be," Steven affirmed. "The rain doesn't last in one place until it reaches its target. It'll subside for that area soon."

“So what do we do now?” Winona asked.

“Send evacuation orders throughout the route of the rain—where it’s headed for. All the while, keep an eye on the first sign of any unusual amount of sun. The two beings will always converge toward a single route and meet eventually…and I think I know where,” Steven said.

* * *

Having went out of the secret passage hidden within one of the waterfalls, Red administered his new experience as he emerged; he had recalled his Charizard as he went through the water and let it out again, and the Flame Pokemon was flapping its wings to dry his now soaked body. 

His encounter with Zinnia was strange, yet somewhat enlightening; although he wasn't comfortable with how well she'd read him, Red couldn't say that their exchange was all bad. He wondered if the stones that Zinnia had fed her Pokemon were truly the source behind her strength, as he recollected the battle that started their interaction with great intrigue. 

After a moment, Red's thoughts then went back to a conversation he had with a certain someone several days ago.

Disaster. Calamity. A cycle that would continue and deteriorate through those who are ignorant and those who would take advantage of it for their personal gain.

Perhaps what they was said was truly…

“Red?”

A familiar voice suddenly called out to him, and Red turned to see a girl dressed in blue and white, largely resembling the Altaria beside her as the Humming Pokemon chirped at Red, perhaps amused by how he was now wet all over. 

It was Lisia.

“Did you come here for a swim?” The idol asked. She seemed to be unable to comprehend the idea of swimming in the falls, even if the water was cool, comfortable and clear. "Well, I suppose I can't say it's unexpected to see you doing something like this, but..."

"The water was great," While it wasn't a lie, Red internally cursed himself for defaulting to a rather poor excuse.“What are you doing here?” Although Red knew that Lisia would be looking for him, she hadn't expected her to come all the way here, especially from where her concert was supposed to be held. 

“I was looking for you, of course!" Lisia said, and Red eyed the smile she was wearing with slight uncertainty, even after the idol had promised to return to her old self the night before. "You weren’t at your hotel room earlier, but I heard from one of the staff that they heard Uncle Wall wanting to bring you here.”

Lisia remembered the worry that she felt when she’d realized that Red had went off on his own and refused to wait for her; Wallace telling her that he’d simply brought Red here out of courtesy had been quite the relieving news. 

“No, I…” Red paused for moment. “Sorry. It’s dangerous out here. Maybe we should talk somewhere else.”

“Don’t worry. I come here from time to time when Uncle Wall goes to meet Steven. I guess you could say it’s a common date spot for them?” Lisia giggled at the thought. 

A silence wafted between them, but the Contest Idol could hear her heart thumping wildly, knowing that there was something very important she needed to tell the man she'd confessed her affections to, especially given the events of the previous night.

“I’m not giving up on you."

Red's eyes widened for the first time that day; the words startled him more than any of the attacks Zinnia's Salamence had. 

“I spent yesterday night trying to think about why I was upset after…what happened,” She said, pink rising in her cheeks even as her lips pursed in the painful remembrance of the event. Yet again, the sight twisted something in Red’s chest once more, but he knew he couldn't run away or avoid this: she deserved his company to listen. The current circumstances also reminded him of how he'd met Cynthia the other night.

“Sure, I suppose I _was_ sad that you couldn't be my partner, but then I realized it wasn’t really the fact that you wouldn’t be with me…but the fact that you keep thinking that you have to make yourself suffer. You keep thinking you don't deserve anyone. You think you don't deserve love or respect, and that's why you keep forcing others away for fear of hurting them…and I wondered, how do you deal with something like that? And I felt angry, you know? Angry that someone who’s admired so much from not only me, but from people around the world would have to go through something like this and punish himself for it, even if they don’t know about what happened to you.”

“I felt bad knowing that I'd resurfaced that side of you when you were trying to overcome it. And I decided that I'd only be as shallow as everyone else So even if you try to push me away, I’ll be there to support you all the way, because it’s what I want."

Her gaze lowered slightly, but her eyes upturned again, making her concern clear. 

"Unless you mean to stop me?"

_You won't deny me, will you?_

There were her hopeful eyes, the same hopeful eyes that Cynthia had showed him the other night, and the same conveyance with different words.

It would be unfair to subject Lisia with anything different. Yet again he could not help but think of the blonde who had reappeared in her life unexpectedly, and how she was perhaps the reason why his outlook toward the matter had changed.

"What's so funny, Red?" Lisis asked, tilting her head to the side. "Why are you smiling?"

"My hands are tied," He said, patting her on the head. "I guess you win this one."

Overwhelmed by her joy, she hugged Red tightly despite his wet clothes.  The gesture was almost painful given the strength she was putting into the embrace, but Red's smile held a mix of wryness and resignation, knowing that it reminded Red of a certain incident that transpired many years ago.

"I guess I do!" Lisia said, her toothy smile returning. 

There was a sudden noise in the distance that resembled whispering, but only Red managed to hear it; he stepped forward, eyeing one of the large rocks near the entrance, and how he'd heard a faint voice coming from behind it.

“Is something wrong?” Lisia asked, turning toward the spot Red was looking at. Tiptoeing, she could see a familiar hairstyle jutting out from the corner of the rocks; Lisia the

"You two followed me over, didn't you!Come out, I know you're there!"

"Oops!" A young girl bounced out of her hiding place, addressing another beside her. "Guess they got us, Tate."

"I told you not to be so loud," The male twin said. 

"Why did you guys follow me?"

"We didn't know why you disappeared after your photo shoot, so we decided to tag along quietly!" Liza said, approaching with her twin. 

Lisia gulped at Liza's confession, knowing what it might have entailed. “So you saw everything?”

“Just about everything!” Liza giggled. "And we heard everything too!" 

Lisia's face became the color of the name of the man that Liza was talking about the female twin then turned around and addressed said man who towered over her. 

“Cool! It’s nice to meet you, Red! I’m Liza."

“And I’m Tate. Good to see you too, Mr. Red." The young boy bowed, a respectful contrast to his more playful twin sister.

There was a thundering noise from outside. Although the rain had not extended to this area, the shower of water and the darkening skies were fast approaching. 

“Rain?” Tate exclaimed. “But I thought it was supposed to be sunny until next week!”

There was only one explanation.

 “It can’t be…” Liza exclaimed. “But why is this happening again?”

Could this be a re-enactment of the calamity of which Zinnia had spoken of?

“We have to warn everyone! Lisia cried, climbing onto her Altaria. “Come on, Red, let’s go!”

“You go. I have to stay.”

“But why? Why can’t you come with me?”

 “There’s something I have to do,” Red's clothes danced in the arriving wind as he turned toward the entrance. “There’s a reason your uncle brought me here earlier. I have to finish something before I heave.”

“Then let me help you. And then we can go together—”

“Lisia, _go back_. Please.”

“Then tell me why!" 

“Because the people need you,” Red said, lowering himself to her level and clutching her shoulders. “They need your voice to warn them and rally them of what’s going on. You have to go back with Tate and Liza."

"I agree, Lisia," Tate said, tugging on her arm. "Red's right! We have to warn everyone while we still can! There's no time to waste!"

Lisia knew that Red had asked her to leave because he cared for her safety; there was a mix of relief and frustration from the fact that he did care about her, but also the fact that he wouldn't let her in on what he was about to do.

“Go, now.”

“I understand…but promise me you’ll meet up with me immediately after you’re finished.”

“I will. I have to help out however I can.”

"Please be careful…" Although she was still slightly reluctant about leaving Red alone like this, she relented knowing that she had to play her part. "Let's go, Ali!"

And without further delay, Lisia quickly flew off into the distance before the rain could catch up to her.

The twin Gym Leaders from Mossdeep were about to join her, but they paused for a moment, looking back at Red, perhaps out of concern or curiosity. And as Red stared back, he knew that they were powerful Gym Leaders although they did not look the part, and especially together, the twins would be able to handle themselves far better than Lisia could.

“Make sure she’s safe,” He said.

“Aww,” Liza giggled, “That’s just sweet. Don’t worry, though! We’ll keep an eye on her.”

“You can count on us,” Tate said, bowing. “Please take care of yourself, Mr. Red.”

Red nodded back as he saw the two twins fly off into the distance with the powers of their Psychic-type Pokemon. He then re-entered the falls and took a few steps forward, peering at the rocks that were set out in front of the stream that welcomed the bottom waterfall below him. A closer look from him showed the World Champion that something unusual was there—something that couldn't have been a natural occurrence, or a mere mark from a wild Pokemon. 

 _I’ve heard in whispers that attacks are coming,_ Red remembered the first words that he’d heard from a certain someone that suggested the inevitable as he eyed the scene that he was seeing. _Our world is about to enter a calamitous age, Red. Knowing you only as the hero the legend speak of you, I thought you to be the best person to speak of this. To make a difference. To inspire others to make a difference._

His eyes narrowed at the odd, carved mark that was slashed upon a corner of the otherwise smooth, unsullied walls, and for the first time after that conversation with that person, he felt convinced that what he had said was true.

 _So you were right, Alder._ He thought.

 

 


	11. Important Author's Note: Update, Future Updates, and Insights

Hello, ladies and gents! This isn't a specific chapter update, but I'll be explaining a lot of stuff this chapter **(including some spoilers)** so please do have a look!

**  
Small Note On Future Updates**

As things stand right now, I guess I'll be transparent with my current business: I'm currently invested with irl business with my internship coming soon along with other jobs alongside it, mostly to sustain myself now that I'm gradually becoming financially independent, which is why I haven't been having much time to sit down and write lately. That said, I'll now be attempting chapter releases on a monthly basis until near the end of August, though again, this may all change depending on my availability, for better or for worse.

Here's also another thing I wanted to drop explaining my reasons for writing this, the characters I'm using, etc. I'd really appreciate it if you all let me know what you think about my rationale when opting for this, and criticisms/thoughts are welcome if I can improve. 

**Insights**

The agenda of the fic to illustrate a romance illustrating two characters who are seen as strong, but show the need for vulnerability and weakness. I’ve already had the summary of the whole story written down, and while it’s going to be quite long, I’m quite confident that my final product not disappoint after perfecting and garnering various inspirations from so many years.

The story's really stuck with me around these characters in particular, and while the main pairing in itself is very obvious, that doesn't mean that I've included a certain someone in there out on a whim. Here's some of the thoughts that went into my head when I decided to flesh out my main 3 characters in this series. 

Note that none of what I say below means any offense or animosity for people to happen to enjoy and use some of the tropes or cliches that I'm pointing out, and is simply a matter of personal preference rather than condemnation. Feel free to voice out any opinions and concerns. 

**Cynthia: A Perfect Woman in Need of Weakness**

Cynthia is easily and bar none the most difficult character to write in Pokemon fanfiction _period._ The difficulty in portraying her comes with trying to give her some authentic flaws rather than the "hot, strong and mature" archetype: this makes her come across as flat when one attempts to stay too authentic to her character, whereas taking too much liberties in an attempt to mold her to fit one's story may really end up warping her to act in very uncharacteristic ways. The latter aspect is probably more common after all my years of looking around in an attempt to gain proper inspiration for writing a character like her as a personal challenge, while I have of course, also been guilty of this very same mistake during my first iteration of Earth and Sky, back when it was still called Pursuing a Champion's Heart. There, I admittedly reduced Cynthia’s cool and collected character to someone almost hopelessly in love with a person she hasn’t reconciled with for so many years, good reason or not, a fact I initially found a necessary evil to make the fic work in the first place. At the same time, I knew I wanted Cynthia, a strong character, to have some form of vulnerability; that vulnerability herself being her love for Red, and vice versa. I ended up making her a bit too weak, however, despite the fact that I consolidate her role as thus far the only person capable of relating to Red, and to counsel and help him in times of emotional distress, that leaves Red even more vulnerable to her during their in and out interactions. 

It took me a very long while to come up with an appropriate backstory and reshape her character in a way that strikes a balance between retaining her "perfect" self, while also giving her some relevant issues that I feel would work with the plot I had in mind. Here, expectation was my main finding when shaping her: what if her very aspects of a perfection caused her to always have to maintain such an esteemed air, and she was growing tired of that? Deep down, she's also someone looking to be spoiled and act like her old, younger self once in a while, but she also doesn't want it to be just anyone: a long period of being held on such a high pedestal has led her to seeking to lean on one herself. Looking around the wikis and stuff also led me to the fact that she had a grandmother and a younger sister, but no mention of other family members; it was another golden opportunity I saw to work her to my advantage, and it perfectly contrasted the role I wanted to give Red: Cynthia can be distant because she _fears_ loss,  while Red is distant because he fears _causing_ loss. Drawing overall parallels and contrasts between Red and Cynthia also largely shaped my decision to rework the title to Earth and Sky, which will also translate to their battling styles. 

**Red: Our Not-So-Above-It-All Male Protagonist**

While not as difficult as Cynthia, Red was a difficult character to think of how to portray, especially consistent with his character, for someone to fall in love with on a deep, authentic level. Let’s face it—an asocial hermit who rarely speaks (though in my portrayal he speaks by a fair amount) is difficult for someone to fall in love with if at all, especially for a woman who has immense quality and self-respect.  The reasons that came with his isolation and distantness on Mount Silver are open to interpretation, and I wanted to give him a valid reason to stay away from others without it being exclusively a matter of lack of self-forgiveness, depression, or emotional instability. In other words, I wanted him to have a good reason for him to stay away from people that didn’t stem from an exclusively brooding disposition, something that people could try to relate with, even if it meant it being a history that was excessively tragic. Whether or not I successfully managed to justify it I still do not know, and something I will leave to the thoughts of all you fellow readers out there. On another note, I also wanted to specifically avoid using betrayal in the story, or at least as part of the backstory, for neither Red or Cynthia to warrant their distantness: many people had asked me to use said trope, but I firmly went against it due to my personal opinion of finding the trope  (personally) heavily overused and me believing there's more than one way to ground a character in fear of contact/isolation. 

My portrayal of Red’s character draws many comparisons and similarities from Mewtwo in many ways—notwithstanding the fact that they too are very similar, and have mutual respect for one another in the Adventures series. Both are very powerful beings who isolate themselves in forbidden or difficult-to-traverse peaks and locations, (Cerulean Cave and Mount Silver respectively) have the same nemesis (Giovanni) and to an extent, are finding purpose in the world where “being strong, if the strongest” does not satisfy the both of them. And spoiler alert here: Mewtwo just so happens to be a very important plot device I'm using later on in the story, though I'll keep the role I'm planning for him to myself for the time being. 

The inclusion and inspiration of Red’s influence and illness from electro-sensitivity largely came from the anime and the Mewtwo Returns movie, whereby Giovanni attempts to use electric-based machines to bend Mewtwo to his will, which was what I was trying to do here to Red; Red, as a trainer, despite his immense feats, has had his share of sacrifices and shortcomings in his journey for greatness and justice, in the form of Giovanni murdering his mother out of revenge, and leaving him with electro-sensitivity that threatens his health, lifespan and overall sanity, costing him one of his closest Pokemon (albeit for his safety) and his ability to enter society without potentially coming across as a threat. Much like Mewtwo itself, I wanted the threat of Red to be a dangerous weapon if uncontrolled, albeit one that answers to no one but himself, yet still fights for the correct principles. The fic that leaves it up to both and our next character to put his walls down to size. 

**Lisia: The Foil, the Third Wheel**

Lisia was one of the characters I was proud to use and include in the fic, and is debatably, with reference to my reviewers in and out of the section, probably the most consistent thing I put into the fic that made it different. As a character that’s used extremely sparingly in the franchise (more or less paired with Red of all people if at all), Lisia was my way of giving the female protagonist an impediment for her agenda of love without using a jealous, scheming love interest; she’s innocent, she’s jubilant, she’s happy most of the time without a care in the world, but she’s also starting to realize the importance of being involved at times, and given Lisia’s otherwise one-dimensional disposition, she’s certainly a character that’s easy to plop development on, which I intended to do as I progress with her.

At the same time, Lisia represents Red’s conscience and is one of the pathways he possesses to get back in life and self-forgiveness, but not the one he needs, not the type of aid he gets from Cynthia, who has more of the understanding of both the pain and the pedestal he's been through. Lisia attempts to plaster sunshine and rainbows on Red to help him, but that's not what he needs, and an important message I want to send to people out there who are trying to do the same to others who are in mental aid. There needs to be recognition and understanding of said pain, and Lisia is more or less "the loser" of the love triangle, but also a very crucial morality chain that opens him up to people.

Of course, I have had my share of people ask me about Stockholm syndrome where Lisia would fall for a person who almost tried to kill her, of which I mostly justify with her happy-go-lucky expression and usual short attention span; she develops an almost instantaneous crush on Ruby in the ORAS Adventures series, one that I wanted to use for Red for an initial infatuation that slowly developed into love, especially when Red gradually exposes her innocent self to the importance of life and its dangers.

 

**Current Updates**

 

I've mentioned various times that I've been looking for editors for finally getting ES cleaned up, and after quite a loooong time, I've finally got to that. Apart from fixing I hope is most (if not all) of the really awkward grammar errors and gaps throughout the fic, I’ve also made some changes in various chapters, though mostly not major ones.

Keep in mind that the details below contain **Spoilers.** It's also ideal to **only re-read this after 24 hours after I've given this post,** as I'll be spending that time to make sure everything is then 100% clean. Part of why I'm making this post in the middle of the finalized editing process is also to make sure that I'll have the responsibility to follow through rather than get too absorbed in my IRL work. 

**Prologue:** The latter half of the chapter from the carry-walk sequence and the hug sequence has been updated with new dialogue and scenes.

**Chapter 1:** Cynthia/Red meeting flashback in the PWT reworked semi-significantly.

**Chapter 2:** Minor detail changes.

**Chapter 3:** Minor, but notable, detail changes pertaining to Red’s reveal.

**Chapter 4/Chapter 5:** No significant changes bar grammatical edits.

**Chapter 6:** Professor Oak reveal on Red’s past updated significantly. It was a really messy portion that lacked coherence, and it should flow a lot better now. I suggest most folks read this section within the mark. Lisia scene updated as well.

**Chapter 7:** Lisia/Red festival date and confession scene updated slightly. Note: I’ve had some feedback on the last bit with Cynthia and reworking that scene entirely, but I’ve also had folks telling me to keep it. I’ll keep it on hold for the time being unless more people tell me to change it.

**Chapter 8:** Lisia confession scene flashback updated slightly.

**Chapter 9:** No significant changes bar grammatical edits. 

The first five chapters are already updated: the last few chapters are close to completion and, will, as mentioned, be completed within the 24 hour mark. 

With that I'll also give you guys two spoiler chapter names that are upcoming. I've already planned every chapter as I go along and it's mostly a matter of piecing everything together. I'll also give a teaser for each chapter starting from the next one after Chapter 11!

**Chapter 10:** Calamity

**Chapter 11:** Hero's Verdict

 

As a closing remark, here's a little something I've also commissioned from fellow artist Alienitynera. As some of the more perceptive of you may have noticed, I've been using this as my profile pic for a while and I finally feel that it's time to show you all this amazing piece of work. Do visit her deviantart for more of her works!

Of course, I'd also like to thank the many, many people I've worked with throughout the journey of making Earth and Sky, particularly those who helped me make the current iteration of ES as clean as it is. My sincerest thanks to all of you, and I hope you'll all stick with me as I progress through the fic!

 

                                                                                                                                                           

 


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